India, UAE begin 14-day joint military exercise

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday began a joint military exercise in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan.

As part of the inaugural edition of the "Desert Cyclone" exercise, 45 personnel of the UAE's land forces are participating in the exercise, which is being held from Jan. 2-15, an Indian Defense Ministry statement said.

The aim of the exercise is to "enhance interoperability in sub-conventional operations including fighting in built-up areas in desert/semi desert terrain," the ministry said.

"Drills planned to be rehearsed during Exercise include Establishment of a joint surveillance centre, cordon and search operation, Domination of built-up area and heliborne operations," it said, adding that the exercise will "also foster collaborative partnership and help in sharing best practices between the two sides."

"Exercise (desert cyclone) signifies further strengthening of bonds of friendship and trust between India and the UAE. The exercise aims to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations," the ministry said.