India-U.S. armies begin ‘Yudh Abhyas’ with focus on technology, interoperability

The 22nd edition of the India-U.S. joint military exercise, ‘Yudh Abhyas’ (war practice), commenced on Tuesday (September 15, 2026), with a focus on enhancing interoperability between the two armies, and integrating emerging technologies into operations in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain.

The opening ceremony of ‘Yudh Abhyas’ was held at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand, where Major General Amaresh Gunjan, General Officer Commanding, 14 Infantry Division, and Colonel Benjamin Jackman, Commander, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, addressed the participating contingents, according to a Union Ministry of Defence statement.

Around 600 personnel from each side are taking part in the exercise, which is being conducted simultaneously at Auli and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.