📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Staff Sgt. Samuel Northrup
Defence
Indo‑US ‘Yudh Abhyas 2026’ joint military drills commence in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 16 Sep 2026, 03:01 AM
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The 2026 edition of the Indo‑US Yudh Abhyas exercise has been launched simultaneously in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan, marking another step in defence cooperation between the two nations.
New Delhi – The annual Indo‑US joint training programme, Yudh Abhyas 2026, was inaugurated today with parallel activities in the northern state of Uttarakhand and the western state of Rajasthan. The exercise, overseen by senior officers of the Indian Army and the United States Army, focuses on enhancing interoperability, counter‑terrorism tactics and disaster‑relief coordination.
Both locations will host a series of field drills, classroom sessions and live‑fire simulations involving infantry, engineering and medical units. Participants are expected to exchange best practices on mountain warfare in Uttarakhand and desert operations in Rajasthan, reflecting the varied terrain of India.
The Ministry of Defence said the exercise underscores the strategic partnership that has deepened since the 2016 signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA). Officials from both sides reiterated that Yudh Abhyas is a confidence‑building measure aimed at strengthening regional security.
The drills are scheduled to run for two weeks, after which a joint review will assess outcomes and outline future collaborative training.
Both locations will host a series of field drills, classroom sessions and live‑fire simulations involving infantry, engineering and medical units. Participants are expected to exchange best practices on mountain warfare in Uttarakhand and desert operations in Rajasthan, reflecting the varied terrain of India.
The Ministry of Defence said the exercise underscores the strategic partnership that has deepened since the 2016 signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA). Officials from both sides reiterated that Yudh Abhyas is a confidence‑building measure aimed at strengthening regional security.
The drills are scheduled to run for two weeks, after which a joint review will assess outcomes and outline future collaborative training.