Army contingent departs for India-U.S. joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas 2025’ in Alaska

An Indian Army contingent has departed for Fort Wainwright in Alaska to participate in the 21st edition of military exercise Yudh Abhyas, the annual joint military drill with the United States, scheduled from September 1 to 14, 2025.

The Indian contingent, comprising troops from a battalion of the Madras Regiment, will train alongside soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment “Bobcats”, part of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division.

Over two weeks, troops will rehearse a wide range of tactical drills including heliborne operations, use of surveillance assets and unmanned aerial systems, rock craft, mountain warfare, casualty evacuation, combat medical aid, and the integrated employment of artillery, aviation, and electronic warfare systems.

Subject-matter experts from both armies will also hold working groups on UAS and counter-UAS operations, information warfare, communications, and logistics. The exercise will culminate in jointly planned tactical manoeuvres, ranging from live-fire exercises to high-altitude warfare scenarios, with a focus on UN peacekeeping operations and enhancing readiness for multi-domain challenges.