India and US militaries to strengthen combat interoperability with 22nd Yudh Abhyas
Indian and US military personnel during a Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise amid the Indo-US joint exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ in Tapovan, Uttarakhand in 2022. File | Photo credit: PTI
The armies of India and the United States have kicked off the 22nd edition of their annual bilateral military exercise, Yudh Abhyas 2026, with a focus on high-altitude warfare, long-range precision fire, anti-drone capabilities and greater operational interoperability.
According to the statement, the exercise, which took place from September 9 to 28, saw the deployment of Arctic-trained soldiers from the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, for high-altitude training in India.
The US Army’s 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (3MDTF) will also participate in the exercise, bringing advanced long-range precision fires and integrated command and control capabilities to the exercise.
The exercises consist of command post exercises and field exercises, culminating in a combined live-fire display involving US and Indian long-range precision fire and missile systems.
A key element this year is the deployment of advanced anti-drone capabilities in India for the first time as part of the exercise. The US Army’s Mobile Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (MLIDS) will be integrated into the training, which will allow both armies to work together to combat emerging unmanned aerial threats on the battlefield.
Operative routes
The exercise takes place within the wider strategic framework of Operation Pathways and is aimed at strengthening interoperability, information sharing and operational readiness between the two forces.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Lt. Gen. Joel “JB” Vowell, Deputy Commanding General of the US Army in the Pacific, are scheduled to participate in key training events.
The exercise comes at a time of growing defense cooperation between India and the US, with bilateral military exercises increasingly focusing on multi-area operations, unmanned systems, precision fire and high-altitude combat readiness.
Published – 11 Sep 2026 0:49 IST