Desert Cyclone-II Highlights Urban Warfare and India–UAE Military Interoperability
Joint military drill in Abu Dhabi focuses on building clearance, IED response and coordinated urban operations
NEW DELHI/ABU DHABI: The second edition of the India–UAE Joint Military Exercise, Desert Cyclone-II, is progressing with intensive joint training at Al-Hamra in Abu Dhabi, with troops from both countries undergoing a rigorous mix of classroom instruction and field-based drills, an Army spokesperson said.
The exercise, which began on December 18, involves an Indian Army contingent of 45 personnel, primarily drawn from a battalion of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment. The UAE Land Forces are represented by an equally strong contingent from the 53 Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
According to the Army, the ongoing training focuses on core urban combat fundamentals, including marking and clearing of buildings, improvised explosive device (IED) awareness, casualty evacuation, first aid, and structured mission planning. The objective is to enhance interoperability and develop common operating procedures for operations in built up areas.
As the exercise progresses, troops are conducting progressively complex practical drills in urban terrain, covering room intervention, building clearance, and platoon-level joint assault operations. Joint drills have been exchanged and rehearsed by both armies to standardise tactics, techniques and procedures.
The exercise will culminate in integrated offensive and defensive urban operations, aimed at reinforcing coordinated action, mutual trust and operational readiness for sub-conventional contingencies in an urban environment.
Desert Cyclone-II seeks to further strengthen defence cooperation between India and the UAE through joint training focused on sub-conventional operations under a United Nations mandate, including peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and stability operations, the spokesperson added.
