The 22nd edition of the United States (US)-India joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas began on Tuesday at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand, with the focus on the use of emerging technologies, integrated battle groups (IBGs) and mountain warfare.

The opening ceremony of this annual exercise was addressed by Major General Amaresh Gunjan, general officer commanding, 14 Infantry Division, and Colonel Benjamin Jackman, commander, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division of the US Army, at Auli, Uttarakhand.

“The exercise is aimed at enhancing the joint military capability of both armies for employment of Integrated Battle Groups in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, with emphasis on infantry-dominated operations,” read the media statement by the Ministry of Defence.

New formation

The IBG, started recently by the Indian Army this year, is a new combined force with formations of around 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers comprising infantry, tanks, artillery, air defence, signals, engineers and other supporting units.

In July, six Major Generals formally took command of the first batch of five IBGs and a Fire Support Group under the 17 Mountain Strike Corps for deployment along the northern border.

Technology infusion will be a key focus for this year’s exercise. “The training will include the employment of drones and autonomous systems for surveillance and reconnaissance,” the statement said. Contemporary weapon systems will also be demonstrated, while subject matter experts from both armies will exchange views on emerging technologies and multi-domain warfare.

Around 1,200 personnel, with 600 from each side, will exchange tactics, techniques and procedures while training on joint planning and execution across varied operational environments. The exercise is being conducted simultaneously at Auli in Uttarakhand and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. The last edition of this exercise was conducted at Fort Wainwright in Alaska, US.