Ongoing story
1 update, 6 October 2026.
A joint military exercise between India and the United Arab Emirates, Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026, began on 5 October 2026 at the Foreign Training Node in Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, and will run until 18 October. The exercise involves 92 personnel with equal representation from both armies, with the Indian contingent drawn from a Bhairav Battalion and the UAE contingent from a Mountain Infantry Battalion, and focuses on mountain warfare training including tactical drills, surveillance, drone operations and rock climbing. The Ministry of Defence said women officers and combatants from both armies are participating across specialist roles, and that the exercise aims to strengthen military cooperation and interoperability between the two countries.