India and the US have commenced the ‘Yudh Abhyas 2025’ military exercise in Alaska, despite ongoing trade tensions, including significant tariffs imposed by President Trump. This 14-day exercise involves tactical training in various domains such as heliborne operations.
Amid bilateral tensions over 50 per cent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, India and the US on Monday kicked off one of their largest-ever Army ‘Yudh Abhyas’ exercise in Alaska. Military contingents from the India and the US will engage in a spectrum of tactical drills, including the integrated use of artillery, aviation and electronic warfare systems, as part of a bilateral exercise.
The 14-day ‘India-US Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025’ will also involve heliborne operations, will be held from September 1-14.
The Indian contingent will train alongside soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment ‘Bobcats’ of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division of the US, the Indian defence ministry said in a statement.
“Over two weeks, the troops will rehearse a spectrum of tactical drills including heliborne operations, employment of surveillance resources and unmanned aerial systems, rock craft, mountain warfare, casualty evacuation, combat medical aid and the integrated use of artillery, aviation and electronic warfare systems,” it said.
The Indian Army contingent is in the US to participate in the 21st edition of the joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’.
Subject matter experts from both the armies will conduct working groups on critical domains such as UAS (unmanned aerial system) and counter-UAS operations, information warfare, communications and logistics, it said.
The exercise will culminate in jointly planned and executed tactical manoeuvres, ranging from “live-fire exercises to high-altitude warfare scenarios, with a focus on improving capabilities for United Nations peacekeeping operations and strengthening preparedness for multi-domain challenges,” the ministry said.
India-US ties hit a low after President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on New Delhi over its trade with Russia. But defence officials say the bilateral strategic partnership built over last two decades is in no danger of unravelling as yet.
Reiterating his claim that India maintains high tariffs, Trump said that the import duties have prevented American businesses from gaining market access in India.
“What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us. In other words, they sell us massive amounts of goods, their biggest “client,” but we sell them very little – Until now a totally one sided relationship, and it has been for many decades. The reason is that India has charged us, until now, such high Tariffs, the most of any country, that our businesses are unable to sell into India. It has been a totally one-sided disaster!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
He pointed towards New Delhi’s trade with Moscow, again, in his latest tirade after his administration imposed a massive 50% tariff rate on India.