New Delhi: The 16th edition of Exercise Vajra Prahar 2026, a joint Special Forces drill between the Indian Army and the United States Army, will be conducted at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh Cantonment, Himachal Pradesh, from February 23 to March 15.
The three-week exercise aims to strengthen defence cooperation, improve interoperability, and enhance joint operational preparedness between the two armies. According to the Indian Army, the drill will serve as a platform for sharing advanced tactics, techniques and procedures in special operations.
The focus will be on improving combined capabilities for executing joint Special Forces missions in desert and semi-desert terrain. Key components of the exercise include joint mission planning, reconnaissance operations, use of unmanned aerial systems, execution of special operations, joint terminal attack control and psychological operations. Emphasis will also be placed on high standards of physical fitness and coordinated tactical drills.
The previous edition of Exercise Vajra Prahar was held from November 2 to 22, 2024, at the Orchard Combat Training Centre in Idaho, United States. It saw participation from 45 personnel each from India’s Special Forces and the US Army’s Green Berets.
The Indian Army’s Special Forces are primarily drawn from the Para Commandos of the Parachute Regiment, which includes 15 regular battalions, two Territorial Army battalions and a Rashtriya Rifles battalion. The Army has also recently raised the Bhairav light commando battalions, designed to bridge the gap between conventional infantry and Special Forces units. These units are trained for hybrid warfare, targeted disruption missions, cross-border operations, rapid response, drone operations, surveillance and reconnaissance.
On the US side, elite units include the Green Berets, Rangers, the First Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (commonly known as Delta Force), and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
Apart from Vajra Prahar, India and the US conduct several other joint exercises. Exercise Yudh Abhyas focuses on high-altitude and cold-weather warfare, anti-terror operations and drone drills. The tri-service Exercise Tiger Triumph centres on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, while naval exercises such as Malabar and Sea Dragon, and air force drills including Cope India and Red Flag, further strengthen bilateral military ties.
Exercise Vajra Prahar continues to be a key component of deepening strategic defence collaboration between the two countries.
