US, Indian Army Snipers Train Together In Himalayan Exercise

WASHINGTON, DC- US and Indian Army snipers trained together in the Himalayas, firing Indian Army Sako TRG rifles at targets up to 580 meters as the two forces worked to improve coordination between shooter-spotter teams during Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026.

The long-range marksmanship training was conducted near Auli in Uttarakhand on September 22, according to the US Army. American and Indian soldiers worked in mixed teams, first zeroing the Sako TRG rifle, chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum round, before engaging targets at longer distances.

The teams engaged targets between 500 and 580 meters in wooded terrain and later fired at targets about 520 meters away on flatter ground.

The sniper training was part of broader combined activity at Auli involving scouts, snipers and drone operators. US and Indian personnel moved through dense vegetation, integrated small unmanned aircraft with sniper tactics and practiced detecting concealed marksmen during other phases of Yudh Abhyas 2026.

The Indian Army’s Ashni drone platoon also worked with American scouts, with the two sides comparing approaches to using unmanned systems in mountainous terrain. The Indian unit used a larger inventory of 3D-printed drone platforms, while the US platoon focused on smaller intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, along with some one-way attack platforms.

A separate equipment exchange allowed US soldiers to handle Indian small arms, vehicles and drone and counter-drone technology. Troops from both countries flew their drones together, and American soldiers were given an opportunity to fire an Indian Army rifle.

Col. Ben Jackman, commander of the US Army’s 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, said hands-on exposure-built trust and understanding between the two forces.

“That kind of exposure directly strengthens our interoperability and our partnership with the Indian Army,” Jackman said.

Yudh Abhyas 2026 is the 22nd iteration of the annual bilateral exercise between the US and Indian armies, with training focused on improving readiness and interoperability between the two forces. (IANS)