NEW DELHI: An Indian Army contingent has arrived at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, to participate in the 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, the annual bilateral military drill with the United States. The exercise, which runs from September 1 to 14, comes against the backdrop of the ongoing India-US tariff row.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Indian troops will train alongside the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division in a range of high-intensity operations, including heliborne missions, mountain warfare, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), counter-UAS tactics, and joint tactical drills. A ceremonial photograph released by the MEA showed Indian soldiers disembarking from a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on arrival.
The Indian contingent comprises troops from a battalion of the Madras Regiment, while their American counterparts are soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment “Bobcats”, part of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team of the US 11th Airborne Division.
Over the next two weeks, soldiers from both nations will rehearse a series of tactical manoeuvres such as rockcraft, casualty evacuation, combat medical aid, live-fire drills, and high-altitude operations, with integrated support from artillery, aviation, and electronic warfare systems.
The exercise will also feature subject-matter expert exchanges on modern warfare domains like UAS operations, counter-drone measures, communications, logistics, and information warfare.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the culmination of Yudh Abhyas 2025 will see jointly planned tactical manoeuvres, aimed at enhancing interoperability for United Nations peacekeeping operations and strengthening multi-domain readiness for future security challenges.
