Screenshot of an Indian Army video showing Indian and UAE troops discussing a drill mission during Exercise Desert Cyclone in Rajasthan’s Mahajan Field Firing Range.
New Delhi: India and the United Arab Emirates started their first-ever joint military exercise “Desert Cyclone”, on Tuesday. The two-week exercise is taking place at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. The MFFR is the Indian Army’s biggest and the oldest practice area in the desert close to the Pakistan border.
The exercise will end on January 15.
According to an Army statement, the exercise will aim to enhance interoperability by learning and sharing best practices between the two militaries in urban combat. This will include fighting in built-up areas (FIBUA) in desert/semi-desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peacekeeping Operations.
Exercise #DesertCyclone_2024
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) December 31, 2023
The Inaugural edition of Joint Military Exercise #DesertCyclone, between #India & #UAE, will be conducted from 02 Jan to 15 Jan 2024 in #Rajasthan. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability by learning & sharing best practices in Urban… pic.twitter.com/KraawpUQrl
The Army also said the exercise will rehearse the setting up of a joint surveillance centre, undertake joint cordon-and-search drills, domination of built-up areas, and heliborne exercises.
The Army said the UAE contingent is represented by 45 soldiers and officers from the UAE Land Forces. The Indian contingent will be represented by officers and soldiers from the Indian Army’s Mechanized Infantry Regiment.
India and the UAE have been steadily strengthening their bilateral defence cooperation, in the past few years, especially in defence training and supply of defence inventory. It may be noted that 15 years ago, in 2008, the air forces of the two countries held their first-ever joint air exercises at Abu Dhabi’s Al-Dhafra airbase.
