India and the United States have launched the 22nd edition of their bilateral Army exercise, Yudh Abhyas 2026, with around 1,200 troops conducting joint drills across high-altitude and desert environments in India.
The two-week exercise began on September 15 and is scheduled to conclude on September 28. Around 600 soldiers from each country are participating, with US troops from the 11th Airborne Division and Indian personnel led by the Army's 14 Infantry Division.
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Ambassador Sergio Gor posted on X, "Yudh Abhyas prepares US and Indian forces to meet present and future challenges!"
The India-US Yudh Abhyas exercise is underway simultaneously at Auli in Uttarakhand and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan, giving troops a chance to train across vastly different operational environments.
At Auli, soldiers are focusing on mountain warfare, cold-weather operations, difficult-terrain manoeuvres, infantry tactics and counter-drone drills. In Rajasthan, the training includes tactical manoeuvres, precision fires and live-fire exercises involving systems such as HIMARS, Stinger and M-LIDS.
The exercise also features drones, autonomous systems and counter-drone capabilities, along with training on multi-domain operations spanning land, cyber and space.
The drills are aimed at improving interoperability between Indian and US forces, while allowing troops to exchange operational knowledge and strengthen combat readiness. Training scenarios include high-altitude warfare, disaster response and modern counter-drone operations.
Yudh Abhyas has been held annually since 2004 under the US Army Pacific and is aimed at strengthening interoperability under the US-India Major Defence Partnership. The current exercise will continue through September 28.
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Yudh Abhyas 2026 is being conducted under the broader framework of the US-India Major Defence Partnership, with both sides seeking to strengthen operational cooperation and their ability to coordinate in challenging environments.
By combining conventional combat training with modern technologies across mountain and desert terrains, the exercise seeks to enhance the forces' readiness for present and future operational requirements.
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