Joint India-US armed exercise ends amid mutual bonhomie

A joint training exercise between the US and Indian armies ended today at Chaubattia in Almora district of mountainous Uttarakhand amid the bonhomie generated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit.

The 14-day exercise named 'Yudh Abhyas 2014' is the 10th in the series of such joint exercises. It provided a platform for the armies of the two countries to share their experiences on counter-insurgency and anti-terrorist operations, especially in mountainous terrain.

The exercise brought together the 2nd Battalion of the 9th Gurkha Rifles, part of the Mountain Brigade of the Indian Army, and their counterparts Company 5-1 Cavalry, 1 Stryker Brigade, and 25 Infantry Division of US Army.

The exercise that commenced on 17 September at Ranikhet and Chaubattia was the tenth in the Yudh Abhays series, which started in 2004 under the US Army Pacific Partnership Program.

Over the years the two countries have decided to progressively increase the scope and content of the combined exercise.

'Yudh Abhyas 2014' witnessed a Brigade Headquarter-based Command Post Exercise, with an infantry company carrying out a field training exercise, discussions on strategic issues of mutual concern, and joint training between detachments of special forces.

The exercises would give US troops experience in mountain warfare, while the Indian side would by all accounts be amazed at the kind of US equipment that they can only dream of, Modi factor or otherwise.

Maj Gen Lawrence Haskins, leading the US team, praised the Indian Army as the exercise achieved its set objectives, an Indian Army release in New Delhi said.