Desert Storm: Tanks, helicopters and troops practice the art of war in Bikaner during 'live fire' Indian-Russian military exercise

Elite detachments of the Russian and Indian armies concluded combat activities of 'Indra-13' exercise on Friday.

The exercises were conducted in the midst of references about raids of the type 'which got Osama' in a terrain 'not dissimilar to that in Afghanistan'.



Held in the semi-desert conditions in Rajasthan's Mahajan Field Firing Range, the combat exercise witnessed the participation of an array of armoured and mechanised forces.



Storming the sand: The Indra-13 exercise in Rajasthan saw live firing by T-72 tanks

Operating for the last seven days, both the armies jointly plotted taking control of rebel-held territories, neutralising leaders and destruction of camps in a 'newly born nation torn apart by strife'.

Attack helicopters were called into action as armies worked on taking control of rebel-held territories, neutralising leaders and destroying camps in a 'newly born nation torn apart by strife'

Towards this, live firing was carried out by T-72 tanks, BMP infantry combat vehicles, attack helicopters and other small arms.



Both sides pitched a complement of 250 officers and men each in which the Russians were represented by their 11 Airborne Battalion and Indians by 6 Independent Armoured Brigade.



Despite the exercise focussing on armoured and mechanised warfare, the Russians came without any such assets, under a pre-decided arrangement.



They were then provided Indian equipment to use for the exercise.



"These guys are tough. They are like us. Our men can go on without food and other facilities till such time the task demands. This is not seen with armies we've exercised with earlier. But the Russians are different," said an Indian Army officer.



Similarly, a Russian officer lauded the meticulousness of their Indian counterparts.



Asked about the differences between the Russian and Indian armies, an Indian Army officer said, "Foremost among them is their approach. Russians believe in deploying overwhelming firepower, whereas our approach calls for a very judicious use."

This was the sixth edition of the Indra series which began with an exercise in Agra in 2005.