India, US Conduct Joint Military Exercise In Rajasthan

India and the US recently collaborated to hold a joint military exercise in Rajasthan. Following this, the navies of both nations are scheduled to conduct drills in October.

Adding to the growing camaraderie between New Delhi and Washington, Indian and American armed forces are currently engaged in a joint bilateral military operation on land and in the air in western India. Furthermore, next month, naval exercises will be conducted by both nations along the eastern coast.

On Monday, Indian and US land forces commenced their counter-terrorism exercise, known as ‘Exercise Yudh Abhyas’, at Rajasthan’s Mahajan field firing range. Simultaneously, during India’s first multi-country air exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ at Jodhpur Air Station, F-16s and A-10s of the US Air Force were seen in the skies.

In the upcoming month, a joint exercise between the two navies, along with ships from Australia and Japan, will be carried out in the Bay of Bengal. This wargaming series, known as Malabar, will take place from October 8 – 18, coinciding with an increase in Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean area.

Following Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit to the US, agreements were signed and bilateral military relations were assessed, while also being closely followed by three military drills involving the armies, air forces, and navies of both nations.

The objective of the 14-day training exercise ‘Exercise Yudh Abhyas’ is to strengthen the capabilities of both armies in conducting counterterrorism operations in a desert environment.

The Indian Army is comprised of a Rajput regiment battalion consisting of 600 individuals, as well as personnel from various other arms and services. On the other hand, the US contingent is comprised of troops from the 1-24 Battalion of the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division of the US Army.

According to an official, the exercise will involve practicing various tactical drills including responding to a terrorist attack, planning together, and conducting simulated field exercises for realistic counter-terrorism missions.

This marks the 20th rendition of the bilateral army drill, which has been conducted since 2004, rotating between India and USA annually. However, in a possible first, all three military branches are simultaneously participating in joint or bilateral wargames within India in rapid succession.

During ‘Exercise Tarang Shakti’, multiple air forces, including Australia, Sri Lanka, Greece, Singapore and UAF, are participating alongside the US Air Force. This exercise focuses on various tactics such as close air support, combat airlift, aerial refueling and multi-role fighter capabilities.

In a statement, US Air Force Lt Col Justin Davis, commander of the 25th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and Deployed Forces in India, expressed that Tarang Shakti allows the US to further strengthen its strategic partnerships with India and other participating countries for Tarang Shakti 2024.