Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026: US announces joint army drills with India amid changing global geopolitical landscape
Indian Army contingent departs for Yudh Abhyas 2025 in Alaska. (Image courtesy: PIB)
New Delhi: India and the United States are set to hold the 22nd edition of their flagship bilateral Army exercise, Yudh Abhyas, with the upcoming drills expected to further strengthen operational coordination between the two militaries. The announcement comes as New Delhi and Washington continue to expand their defence partnership and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific amid a global geopolitical churn.
The US embassy in India announced the upcoming exercise in a post on X, describing Yudh Abhyas as a key component of the India-US major defence partnership. It said the exercise, sponsored by US Army Pacific, has helped improve interoperability between the two forces since 2004.
Yudh Abhyas has evolved considerably since its early editions, growing from a relatively small Army exercise into a complex bilateral engagement involving specialized combat and support capabilities. The drills have been conducted across varied terrain, including high-altitude areas, deserts and cold-weather environments.
The previous edition was held at Fort Wainwright in Alaska from September 1 to 14, 2025. The Indian contingent included around 450 personnel led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, which trained alongside troops from the US Army’s 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, known as the “Bobcats”.
The 2025 exercise focused on operations in challenging sub-Arctic conditions, including mountain and high-altitude warfare. Training also covered air mobility and heliborne operations, artillery and aviation integration, electronic warfare, surveillance, counter-drone capabilities, battlefield medical support and live-fire tactical drills.
The exercise has previously featured training in India’s Auli and Chaubattia regions, desert manoeuvres in Rajasthan and cold-weather exercises at US military facilities, including Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Alaska.
Over the years, Yudh Abhyas has emerged as one of the principal army-to-army engagements between India and the US. The two countries conduct a range of major military exercises, including Malabar, Cope India, Vajra Prahar and Tiger Triumph, aimed at improving interoperability and strengthening mutual confidence.
The US embassy said the long-running exercise contributes to the two countries’ efforts to promote peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, underscoring the broader strategic importance of their expanding defence relationship.
