U.S. Air Force, India to begin bilateral exercise in Agra from Thursday

New Delhi, Oct.13 (ANI): The U.S. and Indian air forces will train together during "Exercise Cope India" from October 15 to 24 at Air Force Station Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

This year's "Cope India" will be an airlift exercise that focuses on the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission. More than 150 US airmen, along with three C-130H Hercules, one C-17 Globemaster III, and one C-130J, will join Indian Air Force airmen and one IL-76 Gajraj, four AN-32 Sutlejes, two MI-17 Prataps, and one Chetak Alouette III for the exercise, a US Embassy release said.

"Cope India" participants will exchange airlift, airland and airdrop delivery techniques; participate in aeromedical and disaster management exercises; conduct cooperative flight operations, to include aircraft generation and recovery, low-level navigation, tactical airdrop, and air-land missions; and conduct subject matter expert exchanges in the operations, maintenance, and rigging disciplines.

This exercise continues to strengthen the bond between the U.S. and Indian air forces, and will be the fourth installment of "Cope India".

"Cope India is a bold testament to the strong and growing relationship our two great countries share on strategic issues such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and national security," U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said.

"As President Obama has said, Indians have no greater friend or partner than the people of the United States," he added. (ANI)