India, Australia kick off 2-week joint military exercise at Perth
New Delhi, November 22
India and Australia today kicked-off a two-week long exercise at Perth. Indian armed forces contingent comprising 81 personnel is taking part in the second edition of joint military exercise ‘Austrahind-23’.
The Indian Army contingent comprises 60 personnel from a Battalion of the Gorkha Rifles. The Australian Army contingent comprising 60 personnel will be from the 13th Brigade. An officer from Indian Navy and 20 personnel from Indian Air Force will also participate from the Indian side. The Australian contingent will include 20 personnel each from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.
Exercise ‘Austrahind’ was instituted in 2022 and the first edition was conducted in Rajasthan. It is planned to be an annual training event to be conducted alternatively in India and Australia.
The aim of the exercise is to foster collaborative partnership and share best practices between the two sides. The exercise will also promote inter-operability while undertaking multi-domain operations in Urban and semi- urban terrain under Chapter VII of United Nations on peace keeping operations.
The joint exercise will promote exchange of ideas and jointly rehearse tactics, technique and procedures for conducting tactical operations. Training curriculum also includes sniper firing, and jointly operating surveillance and communication equipment to achieve a high degree of situational awareness. Casualty management and evacuation will also be rehearsed.
