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)