India-US army drill to train officers in insurgency ops

Blurb: Opening ceremony of 14-day ‘Yudh Abhyas’ held

Our Correspondent

Abohar/Sriganganagar, February 8

The India-US joint training exercise, ‘Yudh Abhyas’, began at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges on Monday with the opening ceremony that saw unfurling of the national flags of both countries amid playing of the national anthems.

On Saturday, the US army contingent consisting of brigade headquarters and a battalion group of the second battalion, the third infantry regiment of 1-2 stryker brigade combat team, comprising 70 persons, landed at Suratgarh. The 14-day schedule focuses upon joint training in counter insurgency environment under the United Nations mandate.

At the opening ceremony, Brig Mukesh Bhanwala, Commander, 170 Infantry Brigade, welcomed the US contingent. He impressed upon the contingents to achieve optimum cohesion and interoperability to achieve the military objectives of the exercise. He emphasised the importance of free exchange of ideas, concepts, best practices between the troops and the necessity to learn from each other’s operational experiences.

A number of aerial platforms, including newly inducted indigenous Advance Light Helicopter WSI ‘Rudra’, MI-17, Chinooks, Stryker vehicles of the US army and BMP-II mechanised infantry combat vehicles of the Indian Army, will be utilised in the exercise.

Besides counter insurgency operations, exchange of experiences in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief will also be a part of the exercise.