Indian Army to conduct desert exercise this month

NEW DELHI - Barely a month after the Indian Air Force displayed its awesome combat capabilities, the Indian Army is gearing up for its month-long “Yudh Shakti” exercise in Rajasthan from mid-April involving 5,000 troops from the the mechanised forces, the armoured corps and the artillery.

The war games will be conducted by the Mathura-based 1 Corps, one of the army’s key “strike” formations. The mobilisation of troops for the exercise has already begun.

“Around 5,000 troops are participating in the exercise, which will begin in mid-April. It is a month-long exercise and its key element will be the mechanised forces,” army sources told IANS.

“The exercise is aimed at validating the acquisitions of modern equipment, enhancing night vision capabilities and achieving battlefield dominance,” the sources added.

Apart from the mechanised forces, T-90 and T-72 main battle tanks and an array of artillery guns, as also infantry battalions, will feature in the exercise.

“The air force element could be involved in the last part of the exercise,” said an official.

The exercise is in accordance with the Indian Army’s “Cold Start” doctrine that involves rapid mobilisation in case hostilites seem imminent.

The Pakistan Army is also conducting a field exercise, Azm-e-Nau-3, on its side of the border April 10-May 13. The exercise involves troops belonging to all arms and services and will also be participated in by the Pakistan Air Force.