With about 30,000 soldiers in action, the Indian Army is conducting a major Exercise SHATRUJEET by the elite STRIKE 1 in deserts of Rajasthan near to the border with Pakistan. The sole purpose of the exercise was to evaluate the capability of the Indian Army and fine tune its proactive war strategy to respond swiftly to any threat to nation’s security.

Several infantry armoured and artillery formations will take part in the operations being conducted under a simulated nuclear, biological, chemical warfare environment. Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag will review the final phase of the exercise. It is intended to allow India’s conventional forces to perform holding attacks in order to prevent a nuclear retaliation from the enemy.

Key facts:
• It was an operation-oriented exercise that focused on validating integrated battle theatre fighting concept.
• It was post preparatory training exercise manoeuvres at subordinate units and formation levels by conducting integrated operational manoeuvres.
• The 2016 Shatrujeet battle exercise was steered by the Mathura based 1 Corps, one of the three principle strike corps of the Indian Army.
• It also incorporated the new-age technologies, weapon platforms and systems as well as long range precision targeting vectors.
• It mainly validated India Army’s operational plans in simulated high tempo battlefield environment and terrain.