NEW DELHI: Special operations troops from the Indian Army commenced separate training exercises on Friday with their counterparts from the US and Indonesia. These drills are part of ongoing collaborative efforts among the three nations.
The India-US special forces exercise, Vajra Prahar, is set to take place from November 2 to 22 at the Orchard Combat Training Center in Idaho, USA. This marks the 15th iteration of the exercise, with the last edition conducted in Umroi, Meghalaya, in December 2023. Each participating country will send 45 personnel, with the Indian Army represented by Special Forces units and the US Army by the Green Berets.
Simultaneously, an Indian Army contingent of 25 personnel has departed for Cijantung, Jakarta, to participate in the 9th edition of the India-Indonesia Joint Special Forces Exercise Garud Shakti 24, scheduled from November 1 to 12. This Indian contingent consists of troops from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), while Indonesia will be represented by 40 personnel from their Special Forces unit, Kopassus.
The objective of these special forces is to rapidly eliminate high-value targets, both domestically and internationally, with precision and confidentiality.
According to the Army, the goal of Vajra Prahar is to “promote military cooperation between India and the US by enhancing interoperability, jointness, and mutual exchange of special operations tactics.” The exercise aims to improve combined capabilities for conducting joint special forces operations in desert and semi-desert environments.
