India and United States Launch 22nd Edition of Joint Military Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026 in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan

Key facts

• India and the United States opened the 22nd edition of the joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas on September 15, 2026, at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand.
• Around 600 personnel from each side are participating, with drills running simultaneously at Auli and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.
• The exercise focuses on interoperability, technology infusion, drones and autonomous systems, and coordinated operations in mountainous terrain, including employment of Integrated Battle Groups in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain.
• Major General Amaresh Gunjan, General Officer Commanding, 14 Infantry Division, and Colonel Benjamin Jackman, Commander, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, US Army, addressed the participating contingents.
• The 21st edition featured 450 personnel led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment training alongside US soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, and Yudh Abhyas has been held since 2004.