Video: Ready, Charge Set, Breach! Indian, Lankan Soldiers' In Combat Drill

The sound of gunshots echoed as two soldiers - a buddy pair - stood next to the wall of 'Fancy House'. A soldier puts his hand on the shoulder of his 'buddy', a sign to tell him that I have your back. The duo put explosives while a third soldier guards them. Dust billows after the blast and the 'buddy pair' breach 'Fancy House'. This urban combat situation was staged at the ongoing India and Sri Lanka joint army exercise 'Mitra Shakti'. The exercise began on August 12 and will end on Sunday, August 25.

The 'buddy pair' moves to the next target, as seen in the video. Later a Sri Lankan Air Force Bell 212 helicopter approaches the combat site to take the troops and the "insurgent" captured during the missions. Such scenarios are vital to enhancing Fighting in Built-up Areas (FIBUA) where an area dense with buildings and structures will entail lethal urban warfare, posing severe challenges for the ground troops and armoured units.

Later, the Bell 212 helicopter takes the troops to a different location surrounded by mountains and a dense jungle. Soldiers rappel down from the helicopter and move closely while the helicopter hovers near the combat site. Four soldiers guard the target's front, while four others prepare to breach. They enter the built-up area, secure the target and prepare to exfiltrate.

The objective of 'Mitra Shakti' is to enhance interoperability between the forces and practice counter-insurgency operations in a sub-conventional scenario. The term sub-conventional scenario refers to conflict that disrupts peace but stays below the threshold of war. The Indian Army is fighting insurgency in the North East and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Sri Lanka faced intense combat during the civil war which ended in 2009. During Operation Pawan, Indian Peacekeeping Forces (IPKF) landed in Sri Lanka in 1987, to fight the LTTE  in Jaffna. A bloody war that put Indian troops in a jungle war.

The Indian contingent, comprising 106 personnel, is being represented by a Battalion of Rajputana Rifles along with personnel from other arms and services. The Sri Lankan contingent is being represented by personnel from the Gajaba Regiment of the Sri Lankan Army.

The 10th edition of the annual Joint Exercise 'Mitra Shakti' is being conducted at the Army Training School, Madurouya.