The latest edition of the India-U.S. military exercise Yudh Abhyas has begun with a distinctive element: soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division, widely known as the ‘Arctic Angels’, are participating in drills alongside Indian troops.
The Indian Express reported that the 22nd edition of the exercise is taking place at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. Each country has contributed around 600 personnel, giving the exercise a combined strength of roughly 1,200 troops.
The geography is central to the training. Auli offers high-altitude conditions, while Mahajan provides a very different desert environment. Training across both settings allows the forces to practise interoperability under sharply contrasting terrain and climate conditions.
The drills include infantry tactics, drone use, autonomous systems, long-range precision targeting and integrated battle-group operations. These are areas where modern militaries increasingly combine traditional ground manoeuvre with sensors, unmanned systems and networked targeting.
The presence of the Arctic Angels is especially notable because the unit is trained for demanding cold-weather and airborne operations. Its participation adds a specialised high-altitude dimension to the exercise without changing the basic purpose of Yudh Abhyas, which is to improve cooperation and familiarity between the two armies.
The exercise is part of a long-running defence relationship between India and the United States. Rather than representing a new alliance commitment, it reflects an established pattern of bilateral training focused on interoperability, readiness and exchange of operational experience.
