Indo-Indonesia Joint Training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI is conducted as part of military diplomacy between Indian and Indonesian Army alternatively in India and Indonesia respectively. The exercise is conducted on a reciprocal basis and its first edition was conducted in the year 2012 in India. The second edition was conducted in Indonesia in 2013 and third in India in 2014. The exercise is aimed at building and promoting positive relations between the two Armies of India and Indonesia.

            The fourth edition of the joint exercise will be conducted for 13 days from 10 to 23 March 16 at Magelang, Indonesia in which an Indian Army platoon strength contingent will carry out cross training with a platoon from the Airborne battalion of the Indonesian Army. The selected Indian unit has had varied operational experience in Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorist operations in the Northern, Western and Eastern theatres. The Indian Contingent has been put through a rigorous training schedule to prepare it for the exercise which includes combat conditioning, firing, tactical operations, tactical skills and special heliborne operations training.

            To coordinate modalities of training of the exercise, an Exercise Planning Conference was held at Yogyakarta, Indonesia on 22 and 23 September 2015. During the conference both Armies finalized the modalities of conduct of joint training and signed an Agreement. The operational part of the exercise commenced with individual Armies training in respective countries and this would translate in exchange of expertise during the Joint Training Exercise in Indonesia. The opening ceremony for the exercise will be conducted on 11 March 16. The Indian contingent will reach the exercise location at Magelang, Indonesia, familiarize with the weapons, equipment, tactical drills and orient themselves to the terrain.

 The exercise will be conducted as joint Counter Insurgency operations exercise in urban and rural scenario and encompass various facets of tactical Counter Insurgency operations. The aim of the exercise is to build and promote positive relations between the armies of India and Indonesia and to enhance the ability of Indian and Indonesian Army to undertake joint tactical level operations in a Counter Insurgency environment under United Nations Charter. The scope encompasses visualization of insurgency related crisis situation in rural / urban setting in Counter Insurgency environment, learn each other's Counter Insurgency doctrines, tactics and share experience of Counter Insurgency operations. It also includes the ambit of identifying areas of expertise/ specialization of each other, evolution of combat tactical drills for conduct of tactical Counter Insurgency operations and to undertake combined training for neutralization of insurgency threat.

             The exercise will culminate with the Closing Ceremony to be conducted on23 March 16 and is to be attended by senior officers from both the armies and civil dignitaries.

Col Rohan Anand, SM

PRO (Army)