India-US Armies to Train in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in Yudh Abhyas 2026

The Indian and US armies are preparing to hold the 22nd edition of their annual Yudh Abhyas exercise in a two-theatre format, with troops first training in the desert environment of Rajasthan and then moving to the high-altitude terrain of Uttarakhand.

The exercise is scheduled to begin in the first week of September at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges near Bikaner before shifting to Auli in Uttarakhand, about 95 kilometres from the Line of Actual Control with China. The split format is designed to expose participating soldiers to two sharply different operational settings within the same edition of the drill.

In the first phase, training at Mahajan is expected to centre on open manoeuvre operations, long-range fires and precision strike capabilities. The desert setting will allow both armies to practice battlefield movement and artillery employment in expansive terrain where mobility and coordination are critical.

The Indian Army is expected to field the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher and the K9 Vajra tracked self-propelled howitzer during this segment. The US Army, meanwhile, is expected to bring its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, for the exercise. The presence of these systems points to a strong artillery and fire-support component in the opening phase.

AH-64E Apache attack helicopters are also slated to take part, bringing an air-support element to the drill. They are expected to demonstrate fire-support roles using Hellfire missiles, 70 mm rockets and 30 mm cannon systems, adding another dimension to the desert phase.

The second phase will take place in Auli, where the troops will operate at an altitude of around 2,500 metres. The mountainous terrain is expected to test soldiers in conditions that include difficult movement, altitude-related constraints and more demanding logistics than those faced in the desert.

During this high-altitude segment, the Indian Army is expected to deploy M777 ultra-light howitzers. Because the guns are lightweight, they can be carried by heavy-lift helicopters such as Chinooks, allowing them to be moved into areas where conventional tracked artillery would face mobility limits. The Auli phase will also focus on infantry manoeuvres, acclimatisation and high-altitude logistics.

A major part of the exercise across both locations is expected to be counter-unmanned aerial system training. This will cover the detection and classification of small drones, electronic warfare measures such as jamming and spoofing, and hard-kill interception capabilities. The emphasis reflects the growing role of drones and counter-drone systems in contemporary combat.

The drill is also expected to include the offensive use of loitering munitions and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms. These elements indicate a broader focus on networked warfare and the integration of unmanned systems into battlefield operations.

Yudh Abhyas began in 2004 as a platoon-level exercise centred mainly on peacekeeping operations. Since then, it has expanded steadily in scope and now includes counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, mountain warfare, electronic warfare, unmanned systems and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Over the years, the exercise has become one of the key platforms for the Indian and US armies to improve interoperability and exchange operational experience. Holding the drill across two distinct theatres in a single edition is expected to give both sides additional exposure to flexibility, adaptability and joint operational understanding.

The broader India-US defence partnership also includes a number of other major bilateral and multilateral exercises across land, sea and air. Among them are Vajra Prahar, the Special Forces exercise between India and the US; Malabar, the naval exercise involving the two countries along with Japan and Australia; and Cope India, conducted between the Indian Air Force and the US Air Force.

With its 2026 edition set to span desert and mountain environments, Yudh Abhyas is expected to further deepen military cooperation between India and the United States while giving both armies practical experience in operating together in diverse and challenging conditions.