2 weeks Ago By Sandip Dighe
Pune: The third edition of a joint military exercise between India and Australia, ‘Austrahind-III', began at the Aundh military station on Friday, even as the participants recalled a history of various other joint campaigns between the two nations during World Wars I and II. The latest two-week exercise aims to strengthen the long-standing military partnership by sharing tactics, techniques and technology to achieve common security goals and bilateral relations. Troops of both countries will participate in combat team-level training in a conventional warfighting environment.
They will be cross-trained on each other's weapons systems, exposed to counter IED technologies, observe canine operations, and receive combat medical training. Indian contingent commander Brigadier Sanjeev Saharan of the Indian Army said, "Our nations share a proud history of cooperation, dating back to the World Wars, when Indian and Australian soldiers stood together on the battlefield far from their homelands. Whether it was in Gallipoli (Turkey), the Middle East, or Europe, our troops fought with unmatched bravery and camaraderie, forging bonds of mutual respect and trust that endure to this day.
" Australian contingent commander Brigadier Amanda Williamson said, "This exercise is reflective of a deep historical partnership between two nations that reaches back to WWI, when Indian troops shared the brutal experience of the Gallipoli campaign with Australian forces. In WWII, this partnership deepened and both armies fought in key campaigns in the Pacific theatre against Japanese forces." India and Australia have also participated in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions and various joint exercises such as Exercise Malabar, Aus Index, Pitch Black, and the first two editions of Exercise Austrahind .
Soldiers from the 9 Dogra Battalion of the Indian Army and 120 soldiers from the Australian Army's 13th Brigade will share each other's best techniques during joint military drills at the Foreign Training Node (FTN) of the station here. Speaking about today's security environment, Williamson said, "Both our nations are currently facing common threats in our region, including challenges to maritime security, the growing threat of terrorism and extremism, and cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure. Thus, the role of both the country is crucial to promoting a stable and open Indo-Pacific region.
This exercise is important to reinforce comprehensive strategic partnership." Saharan said, "The exercise shares democratic values, mutual respect, and a common vision for peace, stability, and security in the region and the world." ‘Jawan memorial a source of pride' Brigadier Williamson also spoke proudly about the Anzac Jawan Cenotaph erected north of Sydney in 2018, which holds the names of 12 Indian soldiers from WW I who lost their lives while serving alongside Australians in conflicts.
"The memorial is a source of pride and a place of reflection for the Australian-Indian community, and fosters a sense of the Indian community's sense of belonging within the broader narrative of Australia's military history," she said. Pune: The third edition of a joint military exercise between India and Australia, ‘Austrahind-III', began at the Aundh military station on Friday, even as the participants recalled a history of various other joint campaigns between the two nations during World Wars I and II. The latest two-week exercise aims to strengthen the long-standing military partnership by sharing tactics, techniques and technology to achieve common security goals and bilateral relations.
Troops of both countries will participate in combat team-level training in a conventional warfighting environment. They will be cross-trained on each other's weapons systems, exposed to counter IED technologies, observe canine operations, and receive combat medical training. Indian contingent commander Brigadier Sanjeev Saharan of the Indian Army said, "Our nations share a proud history of cooperation, dating back to the World Wars, when Indian and Australian soldiers stood together on the battlefield far from their homelands.
Whether it was in Gallipoli (Turkey), the Middle East, or Europe, our troops fought with unmatched bravery and camaraderie, forging bonds of mutual respect and trust that endure to this day." Australian contingent commander Brigadier Amanda Williamson said, "This exercise is reflective of a deep historical partnership between two nations that reaches back to WWI, when Indian troops shared the brutal experience of the Gallipoli campaign with Australian forces. In WWII, this partnership deepened and both armies fought in key campaigns in the Pacific theatre against Japanese forces.
" India and Australia have also participated in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions and various joint exercises such as Exercise Malabar, Aus Index, Pitch Black, and the first two editions of Exercise Austrahind. Soldiers from the 9 Dogra Battalion of the Indian Army and 120 soldiers from the Australian Army's 13th Brigade will share each other's best techniques during joint military drills at the Foreign Training Node (FTN) of the station here. Speaking about today's security environment, Williamson said, "Both our nations are currently facing common threats in our region, including challenges to maritime security, the growing threat of terrorism and extremism, and cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure.
Thus, the role of both the country is crucial to promoting a stable and open Indo-Pacific region. This exercise is important to reinforce comprehensive strategic partnership." Saharan said, "The exercise shares democratic values, mutual respect, and a common vision for peace, stability, and security in the region and the world.
" ‘Jawan memorial a source of pride' Brigadier Williamson also spoke proudly about the Anzac Jawan Cenotaph erected north of Sydney in 2018, which holds the names of 12 Indian soldiers from WW I who lost their lives while serving alongside Australians in conflicts. "The memorial is a source of pride and a place of reflection for the Australian-Indian community, and fosters a sense of the Indian community's sense of belonging within the broader narrative of Australia's military history," she said..
