New Delhi, September 15, 2026 (ANI):
As India and the United States continue to deepen their defense partnership, the two countries held the opening ceremony of the 22nd edition of the joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas on Tuesday at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand.
Major General Amaresh Gunjan, General Officer Commanding, 14 Infantry Division, and Col. Benjamin Jackman, Commander, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, addressed the participating contingents, comprising 600 personnel from each side. The exercise is being conducted simultaneously at Auli and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release.
The release underlined that the exercise is aimed at enhancing the joint military capability of both armies for the employment of Integrated Battle Groups in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, with an emphasis on infantry-dominated operations. It will strengthen interoperability, facilitate exchanges of best operational practices, and strengthen joint planning and execution.
It was noted that technology infusion will be a key focus area. The training will include the employment of drones and autonomous systems for surveillance and reconnaissance, while demonstrations of contemporary weapon systems will be conducted at the Mahajan Field Firing Range. Subject matter experts from both armies will also exchange views on emerging technologies and developments in multi-domain warfare.
The exercise provides an opportunity for both armies to share tactics, techniques and procedures, and enhance their ability to undertake coordinated military operations across varied terrain and operational environments, the release further highlighted.
Earlier, the U.S. Embassy, in a post on X, highlighted how Yudh Abhyas has, since 2004, “enhanced combined interoperability and strengthened the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas, comprising 450 personnel led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment training alongside U.S. soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment (“Bobcats”), became one of the largest bilateral military exercises for the Indian Army in terms of troops mobilized, a press release said. (ANI)
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