Foreign military interactions to continue, says Antony

US troops are set to meet Indian Special Forces for a two-week-long anti-terror war game at Chaubatia, starting Sunday. The Yudh Abhyas 07-2 exercise is a follow-up of similar manoeuvres in Alaska last month in which over 100 soldiers from 4 Rajput regiment participated.

The Alaska war game, at the Donnelly Training Centre, was conducted in an Iraq like environment. Reports from Alaska pointed out that Iraqi citizens were roped in to participate in the war game to give it an ‘authentic look’.

A joint delegation of Indian and US troops carried out a mock attack on an ‘Iraq’ village controlled by a warlord. The exercise simulated common combat incidents in Iraq, like roadside bombs and suicide attacks.

Sources say that from the setting of the exercise — from food to music and housing — was in an Iraq like scenario. British Army Chief General Sir Richard Dannatt is meeting top military officials next week to discuss future areas of cooperation. Possibility of increased joint exercises between the countries is also on the agenda.

The first military exercise between the two armies was conducted last month at a high-altitude base near Leh. Indian special forces soldiers and the UK Royal Marines took part in a 25-day war game to fine tune tactics for raids against terrorist in mountain hideouts.

The UPA Government has come under fire constantly from the Left parties for increased military interactions with the West. The recent five-nation naval exercise in Malabar and the planned Red Flag air exercise in the USA next year have been severely criticised by the Left.