The prestigious Indo-US Joint Military Training Exercise, Yudh Abhyas – 2016 is being conducted at Chaubattia Military Station, Ranikhet, Uttarakhandwef 14 Sep 2016.The exercise was the twelfth in the YudhAbhyas series, which started in the year 2004 under US Army Pacific Partnership Program. It strengthens and broadens interoperability and cooperation between the Indian and US armies. It is the third Indo-US Army exercise at Chaubattia, Uttarakhand and complements number of other exchanges and exercise between the forces.
Over the years the two countries have decided to progressively increase the scope and content of the combined exercise and Exercise YudhAbhyas 2016 has witnessed a Brigade Headquarter based Command Post Exercise, an Infantry company carrying out Field Training Exercise and discussions on issues of mutual interest by experts of both countries. The exercise provided an ideal platform for the personnel of the two countries to share their experiences on counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations, especially in the mountainous terrain.
The exercise curriculum was planned progressively where the participants were initially made to get familiar with each other’s organisational structure, weapons, equipment, and tactical drills. Subsequently, the training advanced to joint tactical exercises wherein the battle drills of both the armies are being coherently practices. The Joint Drills include Room Intervention, Cordon and Search in Counter Terrorist Operations, Jungle Lane Shooting, Reflex Shooting, Long Range Firing and Cliff Assault Techniques.The commanders and staff officers of both sides were also exercised to work in close coordination to receive and collate intelligence and to issue suitable operational orders to the combined field training components, who executed these orders on ground in simulated realistic situation, in the Command Post Exercise covering all the planning aspects.
The bilateral training would be brought to a meaningful culmination by conduct of a final validation exercise on 26 Sep in which all the learning mutually imparted by both armies will be put to test on ground. Troops would be inducted by helicopters into a notional hostile area to neutralize terrorists, as part of the exercise.
The exercise is being conducted within the scope of Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism Operations under the charter of the United Nations.