JAIPUR – Indian Army is fine-tuning its combat readiness in the face of anuclear weapon environment during the ongoing Exercise Vijay Praharlink>.Over 20,000 troops from Army’s South Western Command on Monday practicedfighting under a nuclear environment in the Mahajan Field Firing Rangesclose to Suratgarh in Rajasthan.

According to Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Manish Ojha, the troopstook into account all contingencies including a battlefield under nuclearattack while practicing their war drills in the scorching heat ofRajasthan.

The aim of Vijay Prahar is to ensure the troops can annihilate the enemy inthe shortest possible time even in a battle where nukes have been used.

Lt Col Ojha pointed out that given the scenario, the Army was prepared togo to war and win in a nuclear-contaminated battlefield. The war gamesstarted on May 1 and will continue until May 9 when the top Army leadershipwill be present to witness the action.

The officers and soldiers from the South Western Command are carrying outExercise Vijay Prahar along with the Indian Air Force.

Brigadier Anil Gautam, Brigadier General Staff (Information Warfare), SouthWestern Command, had on May 1 said that the exercise was about a situationbased on a swift offensive action.

“The aim of the exercise is to fine-tune jointmanship with the Indian AirForce,” Brigadier Gautam said. The wargame will help the troops inbolstering their penetrative manoeuvres across obstacle-ridden terrainunder a nuclear umbrella.

The latest weapons platforms and state of the art force multipliers arebeing used by the soldiers to prepare for any eventuality. The exercise isaimed to orchestrate wide spectrum of threats which are planned to betackled through high tempo joint air and land operation involving hundredsof aircraft, thousands of tanks and artillery pieces supported by real-timeintelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and real-time logistic support.

During the exercise, the formations of South Western Command will practiceand operationalise new and innovative concepts of operating in thenetwork-centric environment, integrated employment of modern-day sensorswith the weapon platforms, employment of attack helicopters in the aircavalry role and bold offensive of application of the Special Forces.

“In the immediate wake of Gagan Shakti, this exercise was being held fortesting and refining jointmanship and maximising the impact of the jointoperations,” the Brigadier added.