Indian Army to hold major exercise in Rajasthan desert

Jodhpur, Oct 7 (PTI) Aiming to validate its war-fighting
doctrines and absorb new technologies, the Indian Army will
hold a major exercise codenamed 'Sudarashan Shakti' involving
its elite 21 Strike Corps in the western Indian state
Rajasthan desert by year-end.
Over 20,000 troops and over 200 battle tanks are expected
to take part in the massive exercise to be held in the
Pokharan firing ranges in Rajasthan.
"Troops of the Southern Command have started arriving in
the desert for their annual training exercises which will
culminate in Exercise "Sudarshan Shakti" in November-December
to validate the operational preparedness of the Army in a
tri-service environment," Army spokesperson Colonel S D
Goswami said here.
The 'Sudarshan Shakti' will be based on the integrated
theatre-battle concept under Southern Army Commander Lt Gen AK
Singh with 21 Corps in the lead, supported by all other
relevant elements of Southern Army, he said.
"The exercise will commence with a service of small team
actions, subsequently moving up in the command chain,
culminating in large scale manoeuvres under General Officer
Commanding 21 Corps," he said.
Goswami said the exercise will help the Southern Command
to validate its war-fighting concepts while working towards
'capability-based approach' relying on a series of
transformational initiatives, concepts, organisational
structures and absorption of new age technologies.
The new age technologies include technologies in fields
of precision munitions, advance surveillance system, space and
network-centricity, he said.
The spokesperson said the "unique" feature of the
exercise would be the jointsmanship between the Southern Army
and its counterparts in the Air Force and the Navy.
Frontline aircraft like Su-30MKI along with transport
aircraft will also take part in the exercise. PTI AJD
MNS