PUNE (PTI): The third edition of joint military exercise 'AUSTRAHIND' HAS commenced at Foreign Training Node in Pune.

The exercise, an annual event conducted alternatively in India and Australia, will culminate on November 21, a defence release said.

The last edition of the exercise was conducted in Australia in December 2023.

The Indian contingent comprising 140 personnel will be represented mainly by a battalion of DOGRA Regiment and 14 personnel from the Indian Air Force, while the Australian Army contingent having 120 personnel will be represented by 13th Light Horse Regiment of 10th Brigade of 2nd Division, it said.

The aim of AUSTRAHIND is to promote military cooperation between India and Australia through enhancement of interoperability in conduct of joint sub conventional operations in semi-urban environments in semi-desert terrain under Chapter VII of the UN mandate, the release said.

"The exercise will focus on high degree of physical fitness, joint planning and joint tactical drills. It will be conducted in two phases - combat conditioning and tactical training phase and validation phase," it said.

Drills/ aspects to be rehearsed during the exercise will include response to a terrorist action of capturing a defined territory, establishment of a joint operations centre, conduct of joint counter terrorism operations like raid as well as search and destroy missions, securing of helipad, employment of drones and counter drone measures, and special heli borne operations, the release informed.

AUSTRAHIND will enable the two sides to share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting tactical operations along with developing bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers, as per the release.