Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025 elevates India-US Strategic, Defence partnership

WASHINGTON, DC: The 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas, comprising 450 personnel led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment training alongside US soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment (“Bobcats”), has become one of the largest bilateral military exercises for the Indian Army in terms of troops mobilised, a press release said.

The 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas, the premier annual Army exercise between India and the United States, commenced on September 1 at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and will continue through September 14, as per an official statement by the Embassy of India in Washington.

The statement highlighted that the Indian Army contingent, comprising 450 personnel led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, arrived in Fairbanks on August 31. They are training alongside US soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment (“Bobcats”), part of the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Arctic Wolves), 11th Airborne Division.

The statement highlighted that the 2025 edition is one of the largest bilateral military exercises for the Indian Army in terms of troops mobilised. The edition emphasises five areas, namely- mountain and high-altitude operations under sub-arctic conditions; heliborne and air-mobility integration, backed by artillery and aviation assets; electronic warfare, surveillance, and counter-drone systems; medical evacuation and combat casualty care in field conditions and live-fire tactical drills to validate seamless interoperability.

Since its inception in 2002 as a platoon-level exercise, Yudh Abhyas has expanded greatly both in scope and participation. Past editions have explored diverse terrains such as high-altitude warfare in India’s Auli and Chaubattia; desert manoeuvres in Rajasthan; urban and cold environment training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Alaska.

The statement noted that Yudh Abhyas stands as a flagship, high-complexity Army-to-Army exercise. It has become one of the cornerstones of India-US military cooperation. India conducts more military exercises with the US than with any other country. These exercises, including Yudh Abhyas, Malabar, COPE India, Vajra Prahar, Tiger Triumph and several others, are central to building interoperability and forging mutual trust. It demonstrates how the two democracies continue to work towards peace, security and prosperity, including in the Indo-Pacific region. (ANI)