Yudh Abhyas 2026: US Envoy Sergio Gor Arrives For Joint India-US Drills

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Thursday arrived at the Mahajan Field Firing Range (MFFR) in Rajasthan, where Indian and US Army troops are conducting joint drills as part of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026. In a post on X, Gor said he had arrived at the exercise venue and looked forward to seeing troops from the two armies train together.

US Envoy on Joint Exercise

"Just touched down at Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan for Yudh Abhyas 2026, India's largest bilateral defense exercise with any nation. Looking forward to seeing @USArmy and @adgpi troops train side by side," Gor said. Earlier, Gor highlighted the exchange of operational knowledge between the two forces, including training involving weapons, equipment and unmanned systems. "Yudh Abhyas in full swing! U.S. and Indian Army soldiers exchange knowledge on weapons, equipment, and unmanned systems," he said in another post on X.

Scope of Yudh Abhyas 2026

The 22nd edition of the India-US bilateral exercise is being conducted simultaneously at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan, with around 600 personnel from each country taking part. At Mahajan Field Firing Range, the exercise has brought together a range of artillery and air-defence systems as the two armies conduct integrated training focused on battlefield coordination and interoperability.

The Indian Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) said the troops have trained across mountainous and desert terrain, conducting drills involving small-arms firing, artillery engagements, long-range weapon systems and attack helicopter operations.“From Mountains to Deserts, Training Together, Operating as One.” Exercise #YudhAbhyas 2026 witnessed enhanced interoperability between the #IndianArmy and #USArmy, achieved through integrated training across mountainous and desert terrain. From small-arms firing and artillery engagements to long-range weapon systems and attack helicopter operations, both armies trained through coordinated drills, synchronised battle procedures and combined-arms employment," the ADG PI said in a post on X on Wednesday.

“The exercise strengthened mutual understanding, operational coordination, confidence and the ability to operate together across diverse battlefields. From Shared Training to Shared Capability - Building a Stronger Partnership,” the post added.

Integration of Attack Aviation

The exercise has also incorporated Indian Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters into integrated operational drills alongside Indian and US ground troops. The training includes joint mission planning, battlefield coordination, integrated manoeuvres and precision engagement, providing troops an opportunity to practise the integration of attack aviation with ground forces in an operational environment. The aviation component is aimed at strengthening interoperability by refining common procedures, communication and coordination between the participating forces.

Joint Firing and Observation Training

On Tuesday, troops at the Mahajan Field Firing Range conducted joint firing and Observation Post training involving the M777 Ultra-Light Howitzer, Dhanush artillery gun and Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher. L70 air-defence guns and M-LIDS systems were also employed during the drills.

According to the exercise release, Observation Post teams from the two armies trained together in landmark indication, target identification, engagement procedures, transmission of fire orders and correction of fire.

Focus on Combat Tactics and Readiness

Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026 began on September 15 and is focused on combat tactics, joint operational readiness and tactical procedures. The annual exercise also provides an opportunity for the two armies to exchange operational experience and refine tactics, techniques and procedures while training across different platforms and environments. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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