The Indian army recently conducted Exercise Yudh Kaushal 3.0 in the formidable terrain and extreme weather conditions of the eastern Himalayas in the Kameng region of Arunachal Pradesh.
The exercise assumed significance as it witnessed the operational debut of the newly raised ASHNI platoons of the Indian defence forces. The platoons showcased how next-generation technology, seamlessly fused with battle-hardened tactics, can deliver a decisive edge in contemporary and future conflicts.
Kameng, a region that is known for the Kameng river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, is also a strategic area for India as it is close to the India-China border.
The IV Corps, also known as the Gajraj Corps, which is headquartered in Tezpur of Assam, conducted the exercise, which included large-scale manoeuvres to prove the army’s ability to operate in multi-domain environments, with demonstrations of drone surveillance, real-time target acquisition, precision strikes, air-littoral dominance, and synchronised moves.
“It is significant that the army conducted an exercise in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly because of the recent overtures of China. These days, the army, along with the other defence forces, is regularly conducting exercises to prove its preparedness in handling a warlike situation. Such exercises have been conducted in and around the Siliguri corridor in the recent past,” said an ex-serviceman based in Siliguri.
The Siliguri corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck, is the slimmest part of the Indian sub-continent, with Nepal and Bangladesh in the north and south, and the China and Bhutan borders nearby.
“After the change in the political scenario of Bangladesh, the defence forces are on high alert along the corridor and across the northeast as the region shares borders with the country. Simultaneously, the army is focusing on the India-China border. At such a time, such exercises are important,” he added.
Sources said senior officers of the Gajraj Corps were present during the exercise, which also had the distinctive aspect of an active integration of the Indian civil defence industry.
“This collaboration demonstrated how indigenous defence innovation is rapidly translating into battlefield advantage, strengthening national security and enhancing self-reliance under the vision of a self-sufficient India,” said a source.
“The exercise not only validated the army’s combat readiness in high-altitude and harsh climatic conditions. It also reaffirmed its commitment to embrace emerging technologies such as unmanned systems, precision weaponry, and multi-domain operational concepts,” the source added.