Indian President Pratibha Patil on Monday flew in a military transport helicopter and then rode in a battle tank to witness Indian Army's massive war games in Rajasthan desert close to international border with Pakistan, India Asian News Service (IANS) reported.
Patil was accompanied by Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Indian Army Chief General V.K. Singh to witness exercise Sudarshan Shakti being conducted by Pune-based Southern Command. Exercise is led by Bhopal-based 21 Strike Corps one of Army's three such sword arms.
More than 50,000 troops and over 200 main battle tanks like T-90s, T-72s and Arjun, as also infantry combat vehicles are participating in exercise, which also features fighter jets, transports, helicopters of Indian Air Force (IAF). Army demonstrated its capability to strike at enemy targets in a swift tank battle as MI-35 attack helicopters provided aerial and tactical support to troops on ground. Patil initially witnessed war games from a Mi-17 transport helicopter along with Antony and Singh. She then rode on a T-90 tank.