India, US hold military exercises near disputed China border
- The drills took place in the northern state of Uttarakhand, about 100km from the Line of Actual Control that separates Chinese and Indian territories
- India and the United States have ramped up their military relationship in recent years, driven by a convergence of interests to counter China
During the exercise on Tuesday, Indian soldiers were dropped from helicopters to flush out gunmen from a house in a demonstration of unarmed combat skills.
Other drills involved sniffer dogs and bomb-disposing vehicles, while trained kites were deployed to destroy small enemy drones.
“Overall, it has been a great learning experience. There has been sharing of best practices between both the armies,” said Brigadier Pankaj Verma of the Indian Army.
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US joins high-altitude military exercise with India near its Himalayan border with China
The annual drills took part around Auli, a hill station in the northern state of Uttarakhand. The US troops came from the 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division, and their Indian counterparts were members of the army’s Assam Regiment.
India’s Defence Ministry said the exercises focused on surveillance, mountain-warfare skills, casualty evacuation and combat medical aid in adverse terrain and climatic conditions. It also included humanitarian help, disaster relief, and operations related to peacekeeping, the ministry said.
The “Yudh Abhyas” exercise has alternated between the US and India since it began in the early 2000s. It was held in Alaska last year.
Earlier editions took place elsewhere in northern India, but this year’s exercise is being held only about 100km (62 miles) from the Line of Actual Control, the disputed border that separates Chinese and Indian-held territories.
Indian and Chinese soldiers pull back from key border area
