NEW DELHI: Dozens of UAE Army personnel arrived in India this week for the Desert Cyclone military exercise, the first joint drill between the Emirati and Indian land forces.
The UAE contingent comprises 45 soldiers from the Zayed First Brigade, while the 45 Indian Army troops participating in the drill are represented mainly by a battalion from the Mechanised Infantry Regiment, the Indian Ministry of Defence said in a statement as the exercise commenced on Tuesday.
The two-week drill, which the ministry said aims to “enhance cooperation and interoperability between both the sides during peacekeeping operations,” is taking place in Mahajan in the northern state of Rajasthan and will conclude on Jan. 15.
Exercises between the armed forces of the two countries have been increasingly frequent since the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017.
So far, however, they have involved only their navies and air forces, India’s Ambassador to the UAE…
