US-India military drills to be held near disputed border with China
- Senior Indian army officer confirms ‘Yudh Abhyas’ joint exercise, first held in 2002, will take place in Himalayas in October and focus on high-altitude warfare training
- China maintains military pressure along western border, with state media reporting the PLA’s Tibet Military District had conducted a live-fire air defence drill
On Saturday, the Indian Army confirmed its plans to hold drills with the United States less than 100km (62 miles) from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto border between India and western China’s Tibet autonomous region.
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The US-India drills will be held in mid-October at an altitude of 3,048 metres (10,000 feet) in Auli in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and will focus on high-altitude warfare training, Indian media cited a senior army officer as saying.
China National Radio also reported that the troops practised ways to defend against attacks from the air and provide cover and protection for key targets.
The report did not specify the location or exact date of the exercise, saying only that it was held “recently in a training ground at an altitude of 4,600 metres”.
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China-India border clash in June left four PLA troops dead and one injured, report says
In its last edition in October 2021, the two armies practised in the mountains of Alaska, evacuating casualties via UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and sling-loading artillery beneath CH-47 Chinooks.
US Army Pacific Commanding General Charles Flynn commented earlier on this year’s Yudh Abhyas, saying the exercise had “a deterrent effect across regions” and was “a valuable way of expressing commitment to each other”.
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China reveals details of 2020 border clash with Indian troops after both sides complete pullback
Following the incident, the two sides have heavily increased their military build-up near the front line and frequently staged war games.
