The Indian Army has said that it has engaged positively in the field of defence cooperation by conducting 36 joint exercises with 22 friendly foreign countries.
According to the army it is aiming to host foreign armies for Joint Training Exercises, even as it had conceptualised and created an independent and fully integrated Joint Training Node (JTN) at Umroi in 2016.
Umroi is located on the Northern foothills of Shillong, along the Umiam River.
The army said that Umroi was envisaged as a JTN keeping in mind the conducive weather conditions and terrain configuration offering optimal training environment. It has been developed at par with training centres of leading armies of the world.
JTN Umroi is the nominated Node of the Eastern Command of Indian Army for conduct of Joint Exercises with Friendly Foreign Countries. In last seven years it has matured as a Centre of Excellence for International Army Joint Training and focussed on strengthening military level exchanges.
“It reinforces Indian Army’s commitment towards building partnerships with Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) by building soldierly bonds, sharing best practices and training shoulders to shoulder on pursuit of common end state. The JTN reflects India’s commitment towards enhancing cooperation among Friendly Foreign Nations and promoting global peace and stability through mutual learning and collaboration,” a statement from the Indian army stated.
According to the Indian army since its inception the Umroi JTN has witnessed rapid progress in Infrastructure development and has graduated from the conduct of one Command Post Exercise in October 2017 to show a total of eight Joint Exercises with friendly foreign countries till date.
The training area spreads over 2500 acres encompasses state of the art training facilities for the conduct of the counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in semi-urban and jungle environment under the mandate of United Nations for Peace Keeping and Peace Enforcement operations.
The training areas include an 800 meter sniper range with six firing lanes and elevated platforms.
The JTN also has a challenging 1.4 kilometres battle obstacle course with 17 obstacles, culminating into the 300 meter range with eight firing lanes, which is utilised for training on endurance and firing skills.
The 200 meter jungle lane shooting area and indoor combat reflex shooting range is optimally designed to train on jungle and urban warfare including the counter terrorist village training area in training of house intervention operations.
The army also said that special operations training area enables training of soldiers for heliborne operations.
The state of the art Joint Warfare Centre includes state of art IT infrastructure and network enabled war-game centre for the Command Post Exercises to ensure integration of command control communication computer intelligence and information systems.
The army’s statement added that the training node has residential complex for 450 soldiers nestled in the tranquil climes of Shillong Hills and has various amenities, including souvenir shops, showcasing Indian cultural artefacts, state of art gymnasium and sports facilities for conduct of recreation and friendly matches.
“All infrastructures is eco-friendly and conforms to the highest standards of maintaining ecosystem of Umroi Military Station,” the statement added.
The army said that as the exercise “Harimau Shakti” progresses, the camaraderie and collaboration among the participating nations continue to deepen, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.
The army also stated that this intercontinental partnership serves not only to strengthen global security but also to establish a platform for mutual growth and understanding among nations.
“This amalgamation of cutting edge technology with traditional training methods establishes an unparalleled learning environment, shaping the next generation of military leadership,” the army said.
According to the Indian army the ongoing exercise at this excellent facility is a testament to the power of international collaboration and the relentless pursuit of military excellence, enhancing cooperation and interoperability and serving as a beacon of hope for a more secure and rules based international order.
