‘Mitra Shakthi’ Continues in Full Swing

Sri Lankan Army contingent in India participating in the Exercise ‘Mitra Shakthi’ in the past few days was able to learn Indian infantry tactics, weapon training, strategic approaches, etc in addition to the active participation in mock situations.

Troops participating in the Exercise were taken on a familiarization tour in and around the AUNDH Cantonment and India’s Pune city where the Indian Army’s Southern Command Headquarters is located on Sunday (15).

The field visit was arranged by Exercise authorities of the Indian Army and all troops were divided into groups before they were accompanied by members of the Indian Army.

On the 6th day (Monday) of the Exercise Mitra Shakthi, troops rehearsed jungle lane firing and slithering in demarcated Exercise areas. After initial briefings, troops paddled across a lake to the starting point of the jungle lane. Troops were issued with safety gear and a paintball gun each for this purpose and the lane consisted of 16 targets. Sri Lankan troops succeeded in hitting all 16 to score during the specific Exercise.

In the morning hours, troops of the Ex-‘Mitra Shakthi’ contingent attend lectures and demonstrations on House Clearing Drills and Surveillance and Observation Post training. This activity became a fine platform for troops of both countries to discuss different drills, adopted in their armies and also to share knowledge and experiences.

Troops on Ex-‘Mitra Shakthi’ also contributed to a Heli Slithering Exercise, organized by the Indian Army on the 7th day of the Exercise on Tuesday (17).

Prior to the Exercise, troops underwent training on slithering from a tower and two Indian Army Aviation helicopters took the troops into the air before troops descended using a rope after the helicopter hovered and dropped them.

In the evening on Tuesday (17), troops listened to a lecture on ‘Area Dominating Patrol’, conducted by the Indian Army.