Indian and Australian army troops are actively participating in joint combat drills at the Foreign Training Node in Thiruvananthapuram, designated Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026. This exercise, featuring approximately 240 servicemen including 120 from each country and a New Zealand observer team, is crafted to boost operational synergy with specialized activities such as combat swimming, ambush strategies, and focused aerial operations aimed at refining skills for joint coastal and island maneuvers.
Indian and Australian army troops are conducting joint combat drills across jungle, island and coastal terrain at the Foreign Training Node in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, with training activities including combat swimming, ambush drills and drone manoeuvring to strengthen operational coordination and combat readiness between the two armies.According to news agency ANI, the fifth edition of Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 is being held from October 19 to November 1. The 14-day exercise brings together troops from the Indian Army’s Garhwal Rifles and Australia’s 13th Infantry Brigade.According to the ministry of defence, approximately 240 personnel are participating in the exercise, with around 120 soldiers each from the Indian Army and the Australian Army.The Indian contingent comprises troops from the Garhwal Rifles and personnel from other arms and services, while Australia is represented by its 13th Brigade. For the first time, an observer delegation from New Zealand is also participating in the exercise.The exercise is being conducted under the theme “Joint Sub-Conventional Operations in Island and Coastal Environment under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate”, according to the ministry of defence.
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