Yudh Abhyas 2025: Indian, US soldiers conclude exercise in Alaska

The 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025 concluded in Alaska, with 450 soldiers from India and the US conducting field drills, command exercises, and live-fire training to enhance joint operations.

Washington: The 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, the annual bilateral Army-to-Army exercise between India and the United States, concluded successfully after two weeks of rigorous training in Alaska.

In a statement, the Indian embassy in Washington termed the exercise a “hallmark of the growing military-to-military interaction between India and the US aligned with the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between both countries.”

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As part of the exercise, a total of 450 soldiers from each side took part in field and command post drills, while also engaging with subject-matter experts (SMEs) to further strengthen operational synergy. The Indian side was led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, with soldiers of the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division.

The exercise was conducted from September 1–14 at Fort Wainwright and the Yukon Training Area in Alaska. The 2025 edition was one of the largest bilateral military exercises for the Indian Army in terms of troop mobilisation.

The embassy statement noted that the exercise “allowed soldiers from both armies to adapt their procedures to one another and build familiarity under realistic combat conditions.”

The exercise included command post activities wherein Indian and American officers worked side by side on operational planning, command and control, and coordination across brigade and battalion levels. This was followed by field training in challenging sub-arctic terrain, including drills and manoeuvres, specialist training such as sniper and reconnaissance, counter-IED training, and laying of obstacles and demolitions.

The drills also featured live-fire activities such as joint firing and mortar live-fire exercises that tested coordination in fire control and communications in a demanding terrain, providing valuable lessons in precision, adaptability, and joint targeting.

“Exercise Yudh Abhyas has evolved significantly since its inception in 2002, when it began as a platoon-level exercise focused on peacekeeping. It has steadily grown in scale and complexity, alternating between locations in India and the US,” the embassy statement added.