The Indian Army has dispatched a contingent to Fort Wainwright, Alaska, USA, to participate in the 21st edition of the bilateral military exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, scheduled from September 1 to 14, 2025.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the exercise will bring together Indian troops from a battalion of the esteemed Madras Regiment and soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment "Bobcats," part of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team of the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division.

This year’s exercise assumes greater significance, given its emphasis on joint tactical drills, high-altitude warfare, and advanced multi-domain operational preparedness, reflecting the evolving nature of modern-day security challenges.

Over the two-week-long exercise, both contingents will undertake rigorous training modules spanning a wide spectrum of tactical and operational scenarios. Drills will focus on heliborne operations, the deployment of surveillance resources and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), mountain and rock-craft warfare for high-altitude environments, and advanced casualty evacuation and combat medical aid techniques.

Integrated use of artillery, aviation, and electronic warfare systems will be a key area of emphasis, reflecting the armies’ focus on synchronizing multi-domain combat capabilities.

Subject-matter experts from both sides will also convene specialized working groups to address critical domains such as counter-UAS operations, information and cyber warfare, communications management, and logistics planning, ensuring that the scope of training extends beyond field drills into strategic-level knowledge exchange.

As per the Ministry’s statement, the culmination of Yudh Abhyas 2025 will see the execution of jointly planned tactical manoeuvres, ranging from live-fire exercises to simulated high-altitude combat operations. The overarching aim is not only to prepare both militaries for conventional and hybrid conflict scenarios but also to refine their capabilities in supporting United Nations peacekeeping missions.

These joint rehearsals are designed to improve interoperability under challenging terrain and climatic conditions and develop a mutual understanding of doctrines, thereby strengthening preparedness for multi-domain challenges in contemporary warfare environments.

This major bilateral military exercise follows closely on the heels of the intensive Tiger Triumph 2025 joint training phase, which took place from April 2 to 4 at the Duvvada Firing Range. That exercise demonstrated the expanding breadth of India-US military cooperation, bringing together troops from the Indian Army’s 8 Gorkha Rifles Infantry Battalion Group under the Amphibious Brigade of the Bison Division and the US Army’s 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment alongside the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 11th Infantry Division.

With participation from Rear Admiral Greg Newkirk of the US Navy and senior officers from India’s HQ Eastern Naval Command and HQ Integrated Defence Staff, Tiger Triumph was a clear manifestation of high-level commitment to strengthening bilateral defence ties. It highlighted hands-on leadership, with senior commanders directly engaging in live-firing drills, jungle lane exercises, and tactical manoeuvres, thereby setting a precedent for collaborative training standards.

The Duvvada training emphasised small arms proficiency and close-quarter battle readiness. Indian and US soldiers were paired as buddy teams, undertaking exercises spanning live-fire from 100-meter ranges, close-range shooting at 50 meters, and simulations of combat in dense jungle terrain.

Troops also conducted Integrated Field Craft (IFC) training, which involved obstacle navigation, tactical movement, and terrain-based combat techniques—core skills vital to counter-insurgency and conventional battle scenarios alike. Medical preparedness featured as another critical component with a comprehensive Combat Medical Aid module, ensuring that both armies refined their capacity for battlefield first aid and casualty evacuation under high-stress conditions.

The continuity between Tiger Triumph 2025 and Yudh Abhyas 2025 underscores the momentum in Indo-US strategic military engagement. These exercises have significantly contributed to enhancing interoperability, building tactical coordination, and fostering mutual trust and camaraderie between soldiers from both nations.

At a broader level, they reflect the shared strategic vision of India and the United States in addressing regional security challenges and humanitarian contingencies, particularly within the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region. The long-term impact of these joint efforts will be seen in enhanced operational preparedness, better synergy in multinational missions, and a deepening of bilateral defence relations, all of which contribute to global peace and security.

Based On A NDTV Report