The Indian Army put out a video that showed how men from the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army were training together.
On X, the Indian Army shared, “The troops of the Indian Army & Sri Lankan Army are undergoing joint training by active participation in a series of training activities including UN Lectures and Tactical Exercises at Foreign Training Node, Aundh, Pune.”
For 12 days, both armies will work together in a drill called drill Mitra Shaktil.
The drill will take place from November 16th to November 29th, 2023. The 120-person Indian contingent is mostly made up of soldiers from the Maratha Light Infantry unit. Staff from the 53rd Infantry Division are on the Sri Lankan side. There are also 15 people from the Indian Air Force and 5 people from the Sri Lankan Air Force taking part in the drill.
The exercise’s goal is to practice together how to run “sub-conventional” actions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. The purpose of the practice is to coordinate joint responses during operations against terrorists. Tactical activities like raids, search-and-destroy missions, heliborne operations, and more are used by both sides. They also do Army Martial Arts Routine (AMAR), combat reflex shooting, and yoga as part of their training routine.
Drones and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems are also used in Exercise Mitra Shakti-2023, in addition to planes. Both sides will also practice together how to secure helipads and get injured people out of the way during counter-terrorism operations. As a group, we are working to improve how well the troops can work together and lower the risk to people and property, all while keeping the UN’s interests and goals in mind during peacekeeping missions.
Both sides also shared their ideas and practiced joint drills that cover a wide range of fighting skills. This way, everyone can learn from each other. Sharing the best ways to do things will make defense partnership between the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army even better. The drill also helps the two neighboring countries get along better with each other.
On Wednesday, the Indian Army also put out a film of an exercise in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, that they did with troops from the Nepal Army.
“From November 24 to December 7, 2023, India and Nepal will take part in Joint Military Exercise #SuryaKiran_2023. The exercise will take place in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.” “The goal of the exercise is to improve interoperability in counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain, operations to provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and operations to fight terrorism in the jungle,” the Indian Army said in a post on X.
Every year, India and Nepal hold an exercise called “Surya Kiran” to improve their ability to work together in HADR, counterterrorism, and bush warfare situations in mountainous areas. The main goal of the joint exercise was to improve the way combined drills are planned and carried out for tactical operations at the unit level in counterterrorism operations, disaster relief in general, and the role of the military in disaster management.
