Yudh Abhyas 2026 EADs at Auli are taking the Indian Army and the US Army through the problems of contested battlefields, from GPS-denied movement to Artificial Intelligence-enabled intelligence analysis.

The Expert Academic Discussions (EADs) run alongside a Command Post Exercise (CPX) and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) at Auli in Uttarakhand, according to the official release issued in New Delhi on Thursday. Together they form the professional layer of the 22nd edition of Joint Military Exercise Yudh Abhyas, and they run in step with field training at Auli and at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. The Indian Army and the US Army are the two participants.

Yudh Abhyas 2026 EADs: the technology agenda

The discussions are built around present-day operational challenges and the growing part technology plays in fighting them, the release said. The listed topics are tactical resilience in GPS-denied and intense electronic-warfare environments, AI-enabled intelligence analysis, the operational application of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems, cyber capabilities and Cyber Electromagnetic Activities within a multi-domain operations construct, and military capability analysis that goes beyond purely numerical assessments.

The stated aim is a common understanding of operating in contested environments, and building professional understanding, mutual trust and camaraderie.

According to the release, such environments are marked by disrupted communications, a proliferation of unmanned systems, electronic warfare and the increasing use of AI in intelligence processing and decision support.

High-altitude and cold-weather exchanges

Parallel SMEEs are looking at operational requirements specific to high-altitude areas and cold-weather conditions. Auli, in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, is high-altitude Himalayan terrain. Specialists from both armies are sharing experience on medical support in high-altitude terrain and on information operations covering cyber, psychological operations and electronic warfare.

Aviation, mortars and snipers

Two more SMEE subjects sit on the list: the effective employment of aviation assets, and the employment of mortars and snipers in high-altitude and cold-weather environments.

Command Post Exercise for joint planning

The CPX gives commanders and staff of both armies a setting for joint planning, decision-making and coordination in simulated operational situations, the release said. It is aimed at improving mutual understanding of procedures and at strengthening the ability of both forces to plan and execute coordinated operations in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain.

The field phase running beside the Yudh Abhyas 2026 EADs centres on Integrated Battle Groups and carries the same terrain brief.

Field training at Auli and Mahajan

Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026 began on Tuesday at Auli and Mahajan, with 600 personnel each from the Indian Army and the US Army, according to the release. It emphasises joint military capability, interoperability and the exchange of operational best practices, with the accent on infantry-dominated operations, integrated battle groups and technology-enabled multi-domain warfare. The exercise alternates between India and the United States, and this edition is on Indian soil. The US military's public affairs coverage of the exercise is hosted separately.

Training on the ground has already moved past the opening ceremony. An M777 Ultra Light Howitzer lecture-cum-demonstration was held at Mahajan, and assault teams ran a counterterrorism building clearance drill at Auli on Thursday.