India and the US are engaged in a three-week joint army exercise, the largest ever, focussing on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations in a semi-urban setting using tactical armoured vehicles, at Babina in Uttar Pradesh.

Yudh Abhyas-09, as the exercise is called, is the first time that the US has taken its potent Stryker infantry armoured vehicles outside of its operational area to a foreign land.

The training exercise will go on till 29 October under the aegis of the army's Southern Command.

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Yudh Abhyas-09 is being conducted under the agreed joint programme framework for sharing useful experiences in peacekeeping operations, humanitarian and disaster relief situations, army officials said.

"The scope of the exercise is to conduct an Indo-US joint training exercise with counterinsurgency and counterterrorism focus in a semi-urban scenario, under the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations Chapter VII," they said.

"The size and scope of this combined exercise is unparalleled and will be characterized not only by realistic and challenging training, but by regular athletic, academic and cultural exchanges," said Lt Col Jim Isenhower, commander, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cav Regt.

"Our Soldiers are excited to engage in the exercise during the upcoming two weeks and feel a distinct sense of privilege as participants in Yudh Abhyas," he added.

"Earlier, I didn't know the Indians had a mechanised force of this magnitude with so much of a rich tradition," said Sgt Logan Anderson, Personal Security Detail Non-Commissioned Officer, 2nd Sqdn, 14th Cav Regt.

"Since this unit of the Indian Army is mechanised and we are a Stryker unit, I am really looking forward to how we are going to maneuver together." 

The aspects of the exercise, army officials said, would be human rights and peacekeeping operations, including military coordination, military decision-making process and rules of engagement.

The 'stability' operations include mounting and rules of engagement, mines and counter-Improvised Explosive Devices operations and patrolling.

Aid to civil administration such as road opening, convoy protection, humanitarian assistance and community operations, apart from logistics support such as equipment issues will be covered during the exercise.

"This is to share and learn form each other's experience through combined military decision-making and planning process and employment of forces," army officers said.

"It is also to promote mutual trust and understanding through the exchange of tactics, techniques and procedures and associated logistics support. Exposure to highly technical-based weapons, equipment and systems would form part of the three-week-long effort," they added.

According to Major Gen Anil Malik, general officer commanding, 31st Armoured Division, "The United States and India have historical ties, and over the last few years, these ties have graduated onto cooperation in the military."

"Both of us, as partners in peace and prosperity in the world, join hands to understand each other, to synchronise with each other, adopt an interoperability, so that we can understand how we can best utilise the resources of each other towards achieving the overall aim," said Malik.