U.S. and Indian Army forces executed a combined air assault on Sept. 25 during Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026 near Auli, India, seizing two objectives with soldiers from both nations integrated into shared formations.
The operation began with battalion scouts conducting reconnaissance. The lead company moved into assault positions and secured the first objective. A second company isolated another objective ahead of an air assault. Soldiers were then transported by Indian helicopter to a landing zone near the second objective. Indian soldiers conducted their own air assault shortly after, descending from a helicopter to join the force and seize the objective. Both objectives were accomplished before the combined force transitioned into a hasty defense.
Army Capt. Gaston Adam, deputy operations officer with the 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, said the mission's success depended on close coordination between U.S. ground forces and Indian Army aviation. "The integration between the ground force and the aviation task force, particularly the pilots, is integral to an operation like this," Adam said. "You have to be able to look that pilot in the eye and trust they're going to get you there safely. It builds confidence in the soldiers that they're actually going to reach their objective and can focus on their mission."
The day before the operation, both forces conducted an air mission coordination meeting, followed by cold load training and aircraft familiarization that allowed soldiers to practice entering and exiting the helicopter safely.
The mission's task organization reflected the exercise's emphasis on interoperability. The first company, led by a U.S. commander, included two U.S. platoons and one Indian platoon. The second company, also under U.S. command, had the same organization. A separate Indian company, serving as a decoy element, included two Indian platoons and one U.S. platoon.
The mission was the first of three air assaults planned during the exercise, with additional operations scheduled for the following two days. Yudh Abhyas 2026 is the 22nd iteration of the annual bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Indian armies, designed to enhance bilateral readiness, cooperation and interoperability.