India, Egypt Special Forces begin joint drill in Rajasthan

India and Egypt have commenced the latest edition of their two-week-long joint Special Forces exercise, Cyclone-III, at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in northwest Rajasthan. This exercise aims to strengthen military cooperation by enhancing interoperability and exchanging special operations tactics.

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The drills and combat procedures to be rehearsed during the exercise will include advanced special forces skills and various other tactics, techniques and procedures in accordance with the contemporary operational paradigm.

The drill focuses on counter-terrorism operations, reconnaissance, and raids. Key training activities include sniping, combat free-fall, surveillance, target designation, and neutralisation of assets and human threats. The exercise will also focus on physical fitness, joint planning, and tactical coordination between the two forces.

Exercise Cyclone is an annual event, conducted alternatively in India and Egypt. The last edition of the same exercise was conducted in Egypt during January 2024. “Together we train, together we excel,” is the event’s motto.

The Indian contingent, consisting of 25 personnel, is drawn from two Special Forces battalions, while the Egyptian side, also comprising 25 personnel, includes troops from the Special Forces Group and Task Force of the Egyptian Special Forces.

The exercise will culminate in a 48-hour-long validation exercise to practice and validate the tactical drills for counter-terrorism operations in desert and semi-desert terrains. The exercise will also include a display of indigenous military equipment and an overview of India’s defence manufacturing industry for the Egyptian contingent.

Exercise Cyclone – III will enable the two sides to share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting tactical operations. The exercise will also facilitate developing bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers of both the sides, a defence spokesperson said.

The joint drill involving Special Forces assumes significance in view of the prevailing security scenario in the middle east and India’s extended neighbourhood, and the omniscient threat of terrorism and non-state operators.