22nd Edition of India-US Exercise 'Yudh Abhyas 2026' Begins at Bikaner and Auli

11 September 2026National

The 22nd edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026, the annual bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army and the US Army, began on 9 September 2026 and runs to 28 September 2026 at Bikaner in Rajasthan and Auli in Uttarakhand. Conducted under the Operation Pathways framework, it focuses on interoperability, information sharing, operational readiness and emerging battlefield technologies. The exercise has a Command Post Exercise (CPX) for operational planning and coordination, a Field Training Exercise (FTX) with tactical drills and joint manoeuvres, and concludes with a live-fire demonstration of integrated combat capabilities. The 21st edition, Yudh Abhyas 2025, was hosted at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, in the United States.

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Yudh Abhyas began in 2004 and alternates between India and the United States | Other India-US exercises include Vajra Prahar (Special Forces), Tiger Triumph (tri-service HADR) and the Malabar naval exercise | Auli lies in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district and is used for high-altitude training, while Bikaner lies in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan

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