An Indian Army contingent has arrived at Fort Wainwright in Alaska to participate in the 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas, the annual India-US joint military drill scheduled from September 1 to 14.
This comes amid India-US ties plummeted after President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on New Delhi.
The Ministry of External Affairs announced the arrival on Tuesday, posting on X: “An Indian Army contingent has reached Fort Wainwright, Alaska for the 21st edition of Yudh Abhyas 2025 (01–14 Sept). Alongside US 11th Airborne Division troops, they’ll train in heliborne ops, mountain warfare, UAS/counter-UAS & joint tactical drills—boosting UN PKO & multi-domain readiness.”
The accompanying photograph showed Indian soldiers gathered in front of a giant C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Indian side is represented by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, while the US has fielded soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment “Bobcats”, part of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team under the 11th Airborne Division.
Over two weeks, the troops will exercise a spectrum of drills — from heliborne operations and mountain warfare to casualty evacuation and combat medical aid. The exercise will also integrate Artillery, Aviation, Electronic Warfare systems and the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The Defence Ministry said the exercise will culminate in “jointly planned and executed tactical manoeuvres, ranging from live-fire exercises to high-altitude warfare scenarios.” The focus, it added, is to sharpen capabilities for United Nations peacekeeping operations and strengthen preparedness for multi-domain challenges.
In addition, subject-matter experts from both armies will hold working groups on key areas, including UAS and counter-UAS operations, information warfare, communications, and logistics.
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
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