India, UK begin Ajeya Warrior joint counter-terror Army exercises

Indian and British armed forces on Thursday began their joint 'Ajeya Warrior' exercises in the Salisbury Plain of central southern England to train troops in counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations.

"Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2020 can be termed as the shining example of long-standing strategic ties between India and United Kingdom, the Indian defence ministry said.

The aim of exercises, now in its fifth edition, is to conduct training of troops in counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in both urban and semi-urban areas.

During the opening ceremony, Brigadier Tom Bewick, Commander of UK 7 Infantry Brigade, welcomed the Indian contingent.

As part of the exercise, important lectures, demonstrations and drills related to counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations will be conducted over the next few days.

According to the ministry, both the armies will also share their valuable experiences in countering such situations as also refine drills and procedures for joint operations wherever the need arises.

The exercise will be culminating with a 72 hours joint exercise, which will focus on the joint operation by soldiers during conduct of counter-terrorist operations.

The exercise is a great step for the armies of the two democratic countries to train together and gain together from each other's rich operational experiences, a press statement noted.