India and the UAE Begin Joint Military Exercise 'Mountain Guardian 2026' at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand

5 October 2026National

India and the United Arab Emirates began the joint military exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 at the Foreign Training Node, Chaubatia in Uttarakhand, on 5 October 2026, running two weeks to 18 October. Ninety-two troops are taking part — 46 from the Indian Army's Bhairav Battalion and 46 from a UAE Army mountain infantry battalion — drilling high-altitude and mountain-warfare skills including rock craft, cliff assaults, patrolling and casualty evacuation in rugged terrain. The exercise widens the India-UAE defence relationship from desert to mountain operations, adding to the two armies' Desert Cyclone series and the air forces' Desert Flag engagement.

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Other India-UAE exercises are Desert Cyclone (Army), Desert Flag (Air Force) and Zayed Talwar (Navy) | Chaubatia, near Ranikhet in Almora district of Uttarakhand, hosts the Indian Army's Foreign Training Node and has also staged the India-Japan Dharma Guardian exercise | India and the UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in February 2022, which came into force in May 2022

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