India-US Exercise Yudh Abhyas begins at Auli and Mahajan

The 22nd edition of the India-US joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas opened at Auli, Uttarakhand, and the Mahajan Field Firing Range, Rajasthan, running from 15 to 28 September with around 1,200 personnel - 600 from each side. For the first time in the exercise's history, drills were conducted simultaneously across two very different terrains: the high-altitude Himalayan ecology of Auli and the arid desert conditions of Mahajan, testing troops' tactical adaptability across environments. This year's edition places particular emphasis on the employment of Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs), including their operation in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, and included building-clearance and room-intervention drills at Auli replicating close-quarter counter-terror operations, with assault teams using drones, robotic dogs, canines and sniper units. Yudh Abhyas began in 2002 as a platoon-level exercise and has expanded significantly in scope and participation since; it has been a US Army Pacific-sponsored bilateral exercise with the Indian Army since 2004, and is one of the flagship exercises underpinning the US-India Major Defense Partnership.