India,US to hold mega military exercise in Uttarakhand's Auli in October

Tags: Defence

India and the US will conduct the 18th edition of the 'Yudh Abhyas' series from October 14 to 31 in Auli, Uttarakhand.

Important facts

• The exercise is aimed at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies.

• The previous edition of the exercise was held in Alaska, USA in October last year. 

• The exercise is being conducted in the backdrop of rapidly changing situations in the Indo-Pacific.

India - US Defence Cooperation

• India-US defence ties have been getting stronger over the past few years.

• In June 2016, the US designated India as a "major defence partner".

• The two countries have signed major defence and security agreements including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) over the years.

• In 2018, COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) was signed between India and US.

• This allows for interoperability between the two armies and paves the way for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India.

• In the year 2020, BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) was signed to further boost bilateral defence ties.

• It provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between India and US.

Other Exercises of India with the USA

• VAJRA PRAHAR (Army)

• Cope India (Air Force)

• Red Flag (USA’s multilateral air exercise)

• Malabar Exercise (trilateral naval exercise of three countries India, USA and Japan)