Far away from the raging bilateral tariff tensions, India and the US on Monday kicked off one of their largest-ever Army ‘Yudh Abhyas’ exercise in Alaska, even as planning is underway to conduct the top-notch Malabar naval exercise among ‘Quad’ countries off Guam in the Western Pacific in Nov.
In the ‘Yudh Abhyas’ exercise in the subarctic climate of Fort Wainwright in Alaska, over 450 Madras Regiment soldiers will undertake a spectrum of high-altitude tactical drills with troops from the 5th Infantry Regiment “Bobcats” of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division of the US, till Sept 14.
“Over two weeks, the troops will rehearse joint heliborne operations, employment of surveillance resources and unmanned aerial systems, rock-craft, mountain warfare, casualty evacuation, combat medical aid and the integrated use of artillery, aviation and electronic warfare systems,” an Army officer said.
Parallelly, India, the US, Australia and Japan are finalising the operational details for the upcoming 29th edition of the high-voltage Malabar naval exercise off Guam. India and the US have been steadily cranking up the scope, strength, complexity and frequency of their bilateral exercises, while stepping-up participation in multilateral ones.
