US splecial forces-NSG drill ends in Hyderabad

The joint military training exercises of the United States Special Operations Forces with the National Security Guard (NSG) concluded here, preparing the soldiers for a wide range of challenges.

The forces from the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) completed an extensive military training exercise with the NSG, the US Consulate in Hyderabad said on Friday.

The month-long exercise included emergency medical training as well as combat marksmanship, urban close-quarter combat and integrated full-mission training.

The exercise provided soldiers with hands-on experience in real urban settings, such as hotels and transportation hubs, in preparation for the possibility of terror attacks on vulnerable soft targets, said a statement from the consulate.

"Knowing how to respond to complex emergencies in urban areas is a vital skill that can save lives and protect our people. Knowing how to respond together, with enhanced capabilities shared by both the Indian and US armed forces, is even better," U.S. Consul General Katherine Hadda said at the closing ceremony.

These training events are part of US Indo-Pacific Command's Theater Security Cooperation Programme, conducted by the US military with a select group of nations in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance coordination and capabilities.

The US military works alongside India to increase interoperability, build partner capacity, prevent conflict, and promote regional strength and peace throughout the Indo-Pacific. The overall aim of the programme is to enhance professionalism and the ability to operate together during times of a crisis.

The United States has recognized India as a major defence partner. "Military collaboration between the two countries is a result of growing, high-level trust and both sides' consistent efforts to broaden the ways in which the United States and India can work together," it said.

Hyderabad has become a hub of US-Indian defence manufacturing, including joint-venture facilities, technology centres, and skill-development, it added.

--IANS

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