Indo-UK Ex Ajeya Warrior on in full swing in Belgaum | Over 200 personnel from both countries engaged in counter-terrorism training

By Lt Col N N Joshi
[PRO, Defence, Tezpur]

Belgaum: The Indo-UK Joint Military training aimed at enhancing counter terrorism skills got underway on 04 April 2013 at the hills of Belgaum. The Joint Training code-named Exercise Ajeya Warrior will simulate a scenario where both nations are working together on a joint operation in counter insurgency and counter terrorism environment. This is one of the major ongoing bilateral defence cooperation endeavours between the two countries and is the fifth in the series which initially started as a biennial feature in 2007 to be held in India and UK alternatively.
The four-week exercise will witness about 100 personnel of the Royal Welsh Regiment of the UK Army and a similar strength of a battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of Indian Army. The troops of the two countries are in the third week of their joint exercise. The first week comprised of familiarization with the organisation, weapons and equipment of both the armies. In the second week tactical drills of the two countries were demonstrated and practiced.
Both countries have troops deployed in active Counter Insurgency/ Counter Terrorism operations and thus sharing each other’s operational experiences in such diverse environment is of immense value. The exercise curriculum is progressively planned where the participants are initially made to get familiar with each other’s organisational structure, weapons, equipment, confidence training and tactical drills. Subsequently, the training advances to joint tactical exercises wherein the battle drills of both the armies are coherently unleashed. The exercise is a great step for the armies of the two democratic countries to train together and gain together from each other’s rich operational experiences.
Training to combat terror: Learning from each others experiences in varied terrain and environment, the company level joint exercise enters the fourth week of the joint training cycle of four weeks. The initial weeks of the joint training included familiarisation, demonstration, lectures and joint tactical exercises. This was divided into indoor and outdoor training. The joint training is being conducted by having two mixed companies of UK Army & Indian Army Soldiers.
The exercise is aimed to build and promote positive military relations between the two countries by undertaking joint training for Counter Insurgency Operations and thereby gaining from each other’s valuable operational experiences. The exercise will also help to evolve joint battle drills for combating such menace.
During the course of Exercise Ajeya Warrior – 2013, the technology advancement has been amalgamated to create a force multiplier and assist the combat troops in conducting its operation. UAVs, Recce and Observation system, Thermal Imaging system, Early Warning detachments, use of Helicopters and sniffer & tracker Dogs assisted the commanders of the joint exercises in achieving their aim.
Having rehearsed and trained on counter insurgency and counter terrorism environment, the troops of the two Commonwealth Nations have graduated to the stage of conducting tactical exercises jointly in rural and semi urban environment. The joint training having exercise on Search and Destroy operations in the past week and will now move on to Cordon and Search operations.
The fourth and last week of training will mark the culmination with the joint exercises on Cordon and Search operations. The drills & procedures of the two most experiences armies in the domain of counter insurgency will be dovetailed into one integrated force.