India and US armies to carry out two-week long joint military exercise from 14 September

New Delhi: Armies of India and the US will carry out a two-week long mega military exercise in Washington from 14 September at a time when tensions are rising in the Asia Pacific region. [caption id=“attachment_3907241” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The aim of the annual exercise “Yudh Abhyas” is to further strengthen ‘jointmanship’ and facilitate interoperability between the two armies to meet any unforeseen contingency across the globe, the Indian Army said. It said the exercise, to be held at the joint base Lewis McChord in Washington, will be one of the largest joint military training and defence corporation endeavours between the two countries. The exercise assumes significance due to increasing tension in the Asia Pacific region following the nuclear test by North Korea and China’s growing assertiveness in the South China sea. “Multiple scenarios will be rehearsed during the exercise with a view to understand each-other’s organisational structure and battle procedures … that would further facilitate interoperability between the armed forces of both countries to meet any unforeseen contingency across the globe,” the army said. It is the 13th edition of the joint military exercise. It said both armies will jointly train, plan and execute a series of well-developed operations for “neutralisation of threats of varied nature”. “In the end a joint exercise will be undertaken by both countries in an operational setting under a UN mandate,” said the army.