Washington, DC: The 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, the annual bilateral Army-to-Army exercise between India and the United States, was successfully concluded on 14th September, after two weeks of intense engagement.
The exercise, conducted from September 1-14, 2025, at Fort Wainwright and the Yukon Training Area in Alaska, USA, brought together around 450 personnel of the Indian Army, led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, with soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division.
The Exercise saw command post exercises wherein Indian and American officers worked side by side on operational planning, command and control, and coordination across brigade and battalion levels. This was followed by field training in challenging sub-Arctic terrain, including drills and maneuvers, specialist training such as sniper and recce, counter IED training, and laying of obstacles and demolitions. These activities allowed soldiers from both armies to adapt their procedures to one another and build familiarity under realistic combat conditions.
The exercise also included live-fire activities during which artillery units from both sides conducted joint firing. This was supplemented by mortar live-fire exercises that tested coordination in fire control and communications in a demanding terrain, providing valuable lessons in precision, adaptability, and joint targeting.
In parallel, joint training on combat medical preparedness was also carried out at the Medical Simulation Training Center. This component of the exercise boosted the ability of the two armies to provide integrated medical support in extreme climates.
In the final phase, combined tactical operations and validation drills were executed in adverse weather conditions. Infantry units, artillery, aviation, electronic warfare, and counter-drone systems were employed under joint command and control. This phase also included a Distinguished Visitor Day on 11 September, where observers witnessed live-fire maneuvers and combined operations. Senior officers from both sides expressed satisfaction at the teams operating together and on each other’s equipment, towards fulfillment of assigned real-world tasks.
Exercise Yudh Abhyas has evolved significantly since its inception in 2002, when it began as a platoon-level exercise focused on peacekeeping. It has steadily grown in scale and complexity, alternating between locations in India and the U.S.. Today, it represents one of the most advanced and largest bilateral exercises conducted by India. Yudh Abhyas is a hallmark of the growing military-to-military interaction between India and the U.S., aligned with the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between both countries.
