New Delhi: The Indian Army’s Airborne and Special Forces practiced aerial insertion capability and rapid response anywhere on the mainland and in island territories in an exercise in peninsular India.
The exercise, carried out from March 14 to March 15, involved advanced aerial insertion techniques, including combat free fall and integrated battle drills by Airborne and Special Forces troops, and was to ensure that the Army can deal with any challenges or contigencies.
Last year in November, the Army carried out its first-ever airborne insertion exercise at high altitude locations at the border with China in eastern Ladakh.
The drill was being carried out high altitude areas in extremely worse climate conditions to ensure that the threats to the challenge posed by Chinese People’s Liberation Army are being properly taken care of.
The Shatrujeet Brigade conducted an airborne insertion along the Northern Borders in Eastern Ladakh to validate its rapid response capabilities, as part of an airborne exercise and combat manoeuvres.
Airborne troops were inserted to a Drop Zone at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet.
Pre-acclimatised troops along with specialist vehicles and missile detachments were transported through C-130 and AN 32 aircrafts from five different mounting bases to validate inter-theatre move, precision stand-off drops, rapid grouping and capture of designated objs with speed and surprise.
The drop was particularly challenging due to the low temperatures of upto minus 20 degrees and rarefied atmosphere in super high altitude terrain.
This is the first such exercise carried out by Indian forces in the region.
IANS