With the objective to test operational readiness, the Army is holding a major training exercise Chakravyuh-II in Suratgarh, Rajasthan. The ten-day exercise ending mid-May involves rapid mobilisation and execution of battle plans in conjunction with the IAF. This drill is follow-up of exercise Shatrujeet in the same region last month by Strike Corps where the effectiveness of tank regiments along with artillery was tested.
As war fighting has undergone major changes all over the world in the last one decade with greater stress on speed in deploying troops and assets coupled with synergy with Air Force, the Indian Armed Forces are also training on the same lines. Rapid mobilisation and synergy ensures fast offensive and counter offensive moves to achieve the desired military and political objectives in war in shortest possible time frame.
In this backdrop, the ongoing exercise aims to validate battle readiness and operational effectiveness of the Pivot Formation and Rapid Division of the Army along with all its affiliated components, officials said on Saturday.
The exercise envisages mechanised manoeuvres in the entire spectra of new generation weapons, platforms and systems are employed in areas where rapid development and urbanisation along the border is predominant.
Moreover, the exercise gives an opportunity to commanders to plan and conduct large scale operations an integrated theatre environment along with the Air Force, including fighter ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, remotely piloted vehicles and communication helicopters, they said. Aimed at holding enemy territory and repulsing attack, the exercise will also troop insertion by air using Special Forces and other helicopter borne troops.
In the initial phase of the exercise, intelligence evaluation, surveillance, reconnaissance and communication systems were put to test in a network-centric battlefield environment supported by required operational logistics.