Four nations, four drills, one month: How the army is expanding its military partnerships

The army has held military exercises with four different counterparts from four different nations at virtually the same time. Exercise Yudh Abhyas, the 22nd edition of India's bilateral drill with the United States, was underway across Mahajan field firing range in Rajasthan and Auli in Uttarakhand, bringing in Arctic-trained American soldiers from Alaska's 11th Airborne Division for the high-altitude phase near the Line of Actual Control. Days apart, Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 began with the UAE at Chaubatia in Uttarakhand, focused on mountain warfare and drone operations between a Bhairav Battalion contingent and UAE's Mountain Infantry Battalion. Further north, the ninth edition of KAZIND with Kazakhstan is being held at Oskemen, with a 60-member contingent drawn mainly from the Garhwal Rifles.