In News:

Despite rising bilateral tariff tensions, India and the United States have commenced their largest-ever edition of the YudhAbhyas Army exercise at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The two-week-long exercise underscores the strategic depth of the India–US defence partnership, even amid political and trade frictions.

About YudhAbhyas Exercise

• Nature: Annual bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army and the US Army.
• Initiation: Started in 2004 under the India–US Defence Cooperation Framework.
• Hosting: Conducted alternately in India and the US.
• Focus: Joint training in counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, mountain and high-altitude warfare.

2025 Edition Highlights

• Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska — subarctic conditions comparable to Himalayan terrain.
• Indian Participation: Over 450 soldiers from the Madras Regiment.
• US Participation: Troops from the 5th Infantry Regiment “Bobcats”, Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division.

Training Features

• Joint heliborne operations.
• Surveillance and UAV deployment.
• Rock-craft and mountain warfare.
• Casualty evacuation and combat medical aid.
• Integrated use of artillery, aviation, and electronic warfare.

Strategic Significance

• Operational Readiness
  • Enhances interoperability and coordination in extreme cold climates, vital for Himalayan and Arctic theatres.
  • Strengthens joint capabilities in counter-terrorism, peace support, and disaster relief operations.
• Defence Cooperation Beyond Exercises
  • The US has secured Indian defence deals worth over $25 billion since 2007.
  • Recent major acquisitions:
    1. 99 GE-F404 turbofan engines (for Tejas Mk-1A fighters) worth $716 million.
    2. Proposed deal for 113 more engines worth $1 billion.
    3. 31 MQ-9B Predator drones worth $3.8 billion, deliveries expected in 2029–30.
• Geopolitical Context
  • Exercises continue despite 50% tariffs imposed by the US on India under President Trump, straining economic ties.
  • Defence cooperation remains resilient, reflecting two decades of strategic partnership.
  • India balances ties with Russia and cautiously re-engages with China, maintaining its strategic autonomy.
• Quad Linkages
  • Parallel planning is underway for the Malabar Naval Exercise among Quad nations (India, US, Japan, Australia) off Guam in November 2025, further deepening maritime security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.