The UK and India concluded the eighth edition of the biennial
army exercise, Ajeya Warrior on 30 November.
The A (AMBOOR) Company 2nd Battalion
Royal Gurkha Rifles of the British Army and the Indian
Army's 21st Sikh Regiment were undertaking
complex training at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in
Rajasthan since the start of the exercise on 17
November.
Continuing the trend of increasing complexity and
interoperability, the exercise this time focused on conducting
peace enforcing operations in a counter-terrorism environment as
mandated under the chapter 7 of the United Nations
Charter. This involved executing simulated operations in a
multi-domain urban and semi-urban environment.
During the exercise, the two armies shared standard operating
procedures and tactics across
Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (IED),
small Uncrewed Aircraft System
(sUAS) operations, company-level skills and drills, urban
training, and support weapon employment.
This collaboration culminated in a battle group-level final
training exercise, where the two forces operated under
an integrated command, gaining invaluable experience and
exchanging best practices.
Beyond the tactical domain, both contingents engaged in fitness
and recreational activities, further strengthening camaraderie,
alongside team sports and informal cultural exchanges that
reinforced mutual respect and understanding.
, British High Commissioner
to India said:
Defence and security forms a crucial pillar of UK-India Vision 2035.
Exercise Ajeya Warrior is a demonstration of UK's deepening
defence ties with India as we deliver this shared vision over the
next decade. Beyond military co-operation, it underscores our
shared commitment to peace, stability and a rules-based
international order.
Commodore MBE Royal Navy, Defence
Adviser, British High Commission said:
Exercise Ajeya Warrior has seen soldiers of the British and
Indian Army operating alongside each other in a
demanding urban and semi-urban counter terrorism focussed
exercise.
The exercise has enhanced shared understanding and
interoperability, with both A Company
2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles and
21st Sikh Regiment demonstrating the rapid
transformation being undertaken by both forces in a rapidly
evolving operating environment. Ex Ajeya Warrior follows closely
on the back of our Navies training together during the recent
visit by the UK's Carrier Strike Group
and demonstrates the ever-closer relationship and
readiness of both our militaries to face shared security
challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. We now greatly look
forward to welcoming the Indian Army to the UK for Ex Ajeya
Warrior IX in 2027.
Further information
-
exercise Ajeya Warrior follows the visit of the UK Carrier
Strike Group to India, during which it exercised with the
Indian Carrier Strike Group as part of the biennial maritime
exercise Konkan
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the two countries have recently agreed on a 10-year Defence
Industrial Roadmap, promoting strategic and defence industry
collaboration
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the UK already hosts Indian officers as instructors at
our world-renowned military institutions, including the Royal
Military Academy Sandhurst and Britannia Royal Naval College
