Yudh Abhyas 2026: India, US troops train with drones, robotic dogs and snipers in Auli

Indian and US Army soldiers conducted a counterterrorism building-clearance and room-intervention drill at Auli in Uttarakhand on Wednesday as part of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026, with assault teams supported by drones, robotic dogs, canines and snipers in a close-quarter operational scenario.According to ANI, citing the Indian Army, the drill was designed to replicate close-quarter operational situations and demonstrated the coordinated employment of specialised personnel and technology during counterterrorism operations. US Army personnel also interacted with the troops and equipment involved in the exercise, the report said.The exercise highlights the growing focus on technology-enabled operations, with unmanned and autonomous systems being integrated with conventional combat elements. The Indian Army's latest drill at Auli brought together assault teams, snipers, canines and robotic systems as part of a coordinated building-clearance operation.The 22nd edition of India-US joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas is being conducted simultaneously at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan, with 600 personnel from each side participating, according to the ministry of defence.The exercise is aimed at enhancing the two armies' capability to employ Integrated Battle Groups in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, with emphasis on infantry-dominated operations. It will also strengthen interoperability through joint planning, coordinated execution and exchanges of operational best practices, the ministry said.Technology infusion is a key focus of the exercise. The Indian Army has said the training will include the employment of drones and autonomous systems for surveillance and reconnaissance, while contemporary weapon systems will be demonstrated at the Mahajan Field Firing Range.The latest counterterrorism drill therefore forms part of a broader exercise combining infantry operations, mountain warfare, unmanned systems, surveillance and emerging battlefield technologies. The simultaneous training at Auli and Mahajan is designed to expose the participating troops to different operational environments while improving interoperability between the two armies.The opening ceremony of Yudh Abhyas 2026 was held at Auli on 15th September , where Major General Amaresh Gunjan, General Officer Commanding, 14 Infantry Division, and Colonel Benjamin Jackman, Commander of the US Army's 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, addressed the participating contingents.