Army Sends 600 Soldiers to India for Specialised Warfare Training

The Nigerian Army has commenced the deployment of 600 personnel to India for specialised mountain and jungle warfare training aimed at strengthening troops’ combat readiness and operational capabilities.

The first batch of 300 soldiers departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, 2026, aboard two Indian Air Force aircraft, a C-17 transport aircraft and an Airbus A321.

The deployment was confirmed in an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Major-General Umar Yusuf, Coordinator of Nigerian Army Military Training and Simulation at Army Headquarters, represented the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, at the departure.

Yusuf addressed the departing personnel and witnessed their departure alongside the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria.

The report stated that the movement was conducted without any hitches, while arrangements were ongoing to airlift the remaining 300 personnel to India.

The training is expected to equip the troops with specialised skills for operating in mountainous and jungle environments, where difficult terrain and demanding conditions require advanced combat techniques, endurance and adaptability.

The programme forms part of efforts to improve the Nigerian Army’s ability to conduct operations in challenging environments and strengthen its personnel’s tactical proficiency.

Mountain and jungle warfare require specialised knowledge of terrain, navigation, movement, concealment and sustaining operations under difficult environmental conditions.

The training is expected to expose the Nigerian personnel to techniques that could enhance their preparedness for complex operational assignments.

The deployment also reflects military cooperation between Nigeria and India in professional training and capacity development.

The Army has not provided further details on the duration of the training or the specific locations where the exercises will take place.

With the remaining 300 personnel expected to depart in a subsequent phase, the total number of Nigerian soldiers scheduled for the specialised programme will reach 600.