India and the US will hold an over two-week-long mega military exercise in Uttarakhand's Auli in October amid the f💯ast-evolving regional security scenario.
The 18th edition of exercise "Yudh Abhyas" is scheduled to take p﷽lace from October 14 to 31⭕, sources in the defence and military establishment said on Wednesday.
A numꦇber of complex drills is being planned🌱 for the mega exercise, they said.
The last edition of the exercise took🍎 place in October 2021 in Alaska in the US.
India-US defence partnership
According to sources, the exercise is aimed at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interopera🌸bility between the armies of India and the US.
The "Yudh Abhyas" exercise is takin𝐆g place in the backdrop of India's lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh.
♍The Indo-US𝓀 defence ties have been on an upswing for the past few years.
In June 2016, the US designated India a "Major Defence Partner&q𒁃uot;.
The two countries have also inked key defe🐲nce and security pac🧸ts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other's bases for repair and replenishment of supplies as well as provides for deeper cooperation.
The two sides also signed the C🍸OMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end te▨chnology from the US to India.
In Oc♏tober 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) to further boost bilateral defence ties.
The pact provides for sharing o🌞f high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial ꦗmaps between the two countries.
(With PTI Inputs)
