FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — Soldiers from the United States and India have kicked off a two-week military exercise in Alaska aimed at strengthening cooperation, readiness and interoperability between the two armies.
The 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas began with an opening ceremony at Fort Wainwright, where troops from the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division joined their Indian counterparts from the Madras Regiment and 65th Infantry Brigade. The training runs through Sept. 14 at Fort Wainwright, the Yukon Training Area and Donnelly Training Area.
The annual bilateral exercise brings together the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment “Bobcats,” part of the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Arctic), and Indian Army contingent from a battalion of the Madras Regiment.
Over two weeks, soldiers will rehearse heliborne operations, surveillance using unmanned aerial systems, rock craft, mountain warfare, casualty evacuation and the integrated use of artillery, aviation and electronic warfare. Subject-matter experts will also lead discussions on counter-drone operations, information warfare, communications and logistics.
“Together, we sharpen our skills for peacekeeping, humanitarian response and combat operations because we know that the challenges of the future will demand cooperation across borders,” said Col. Christopher Brawley, commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Arctic).
The exercise, whose name means “Preparing for War” in Hindi, began in 2004 as a counterinsurgency training exchange. It has since evolved to cover conventional and hybrid threats, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
This year’s drills include a brigade-level command post exercise linked with a field training component, artillery live-fire, and cultural events. The final phase will culminate in combined tactical maneuvers and high-altitude warfare scenarios designed to bolster capabilities for United Nations peacekeeping missions and multi-domain challenges.
“Exercises such as Yudh Abhyas create the ideal environment to test concepts, refine procedures and most importantly, learn from each other’s experience,” said Brig. Rajiv Sahara, commander of the Indian Army’s 65th Infantry Brigade.
Yudh Abhyas alternates annually between India and the United States. Next year’s iteration is scheduled to return to India.
