U.S., Indian Army Snipers Train on Long-Range Marksmanship

U.S. and Indian Army snipers trained on the sniper firing range Sept. 22, near Auli, India, during Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026, engaging targets out to 580 meters with the Indian Army's Sako TRG rifle chambered in the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge.

Sniper teams paired U.S. and Indian Army soldiers together throughout the training, which began with basic zeroing of the rifle before progressing to shots ranging from 500 to 580 meters in wooded terrain, followed by additional engagements around 520 meters on flatter ground, said Army Sgt. 1st Class Dylan Tinkey, recon platoon sergeant assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division.

Tinkey said he is familiar with the Indian rifle after completing a 25-day subject-matter expert exchange earlier this year at the Indian Army Sniper School in Mhow, India.

"I really do love the rifle," Tinkey said. "If you compare it to the Mark 22, it's very similar. We can change the barrel on our Mark 22, and it's also chambered in .338 Lapua."

Tinkey said he is working to have soldiers in his sniper section lead more of the instruction themselves rather than relying solely on his experience in Mhow.

"What I'm striving to do is have guys in the sniper section do more of the teaching," Tinkey said. "I had a younger guy with me, a specialist, who's punching a little above his weight. I had him come to the sniper school with me, so he's familiar with the rifle, and I want to see him teach it more, so he can develop himself and his juniors. If I have to step in, I absolutely will."

Tinkey said the shooter-spotter process translated easily between the two armies, with only minor communication differences.

"It's pretty universal as far as corrections," Tinkey said. "We use mil corrections, and the communication is pretty much the same. Just minor differences."

Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026 is the 22nd iteration of the annual U.S. Army Pacific-sponsored bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Indian armies. The exercise is scheduled to conclude Sept. 27, with a formal closing ceremony.

Since 2004, Yudh Abhyas, an Army Pacific-sponsored bilateral exercise with the Indian Army, has enhanced combined interoperability and strengthened the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.