The second edition of the India–UAE joint military exercise Desert Cyclone will be held from 18 to 30 December, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

A contingent of the Indian Army has departed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the second edition of the India–UAE joint military exercise Desert Cyclone-II, which will be conducted from 18 to 30 December, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The Indian contingent comprises 45 personnel, mainly from a battalion of the Mechanized Infantry Regiment. The UAE Land Forces contingent will also be of similar strength, represented by the 53 Mechanized Infantry Battalion.

Objective of the ‘Desert Cyclone’ exercise

The objective of this exercise is to enhance interoperability between the Indian Army and the UAE Land Forces through joint training in an urban environment and to promote defence cooperation, with a focus on sub-conventional operations under a United Nations mandate, enabling both armies to work together in peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, and stability operations.
For nearly two weeks, soldiers from both countries will jointly train on a wide range of tactical drills, including combat in built-up areas, helicopter operations, and comprehensive mission planning. In addition, the integration of UAS and counter-UAS technologies for operations in built-up areas will be undertaken.
Building on the momentum of the successful visit of the Commander of the UAE Land Forces on 27–28 October, 2025 and the visit of the Commander of the UAE Presidential Guard on 15–19 December, 2025, Exercise Desert Cyclone-II will further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between India and the UAE.
The exercise will further strengthen professional relations between the two armies, promote mutual understanding of strategies, techniques, and procedures, and contribute to the development of interoperable capabilities.

Other facts related to India and the United Arab Emirates

The first joint military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone’ between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was conducted from 2 to 15 January, 2024 at Mahajan in Rajasthan.
The formation of the I2U2 group (India–Israel–UAE–USA) and UAE’s participation in the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) reflect the UAE’s strategic and economic importance in regional and global multilateral engagements.
The India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project will include railway lines, ship-to-rail networks, and road transport routes, which will span two corridors, namely:
Eastern Corridor – which connects India to the Arabian Gulf.
Northern Corridor – which connects the Gulf region to Europe.
The IMEC corridor will also include an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline, and a high-speed data cable.