The Hindu News Update Service

New Delhi, Sept. 17 (PTI): Special forces from India and the UK will hold high altitude manoeuvres aimed at hitting mountain hideouts of terrorists during 24 days of joint exercises in the frontier region of Ladakh beginning today.

The exercises, code named 'Himalayan Warrior', will continue till October 11.

As many as 150 British marine commandos and an equal number of men from India's elite special forces will be in action in "long endurance and survivability" manoeuvres in snowy Himalayan heights, army officials said here on Sunday.

The exercises would involve classic commando actions like surprise hit and run raids by self contained small bands of troops operating at extreme heights of more than 3,500 metres.

In a reflection of their growing cooperation in the war against terror, the thrust of the exercises would be to fine tune tactics against terrorists, officials said.

It is on British request that Ladakh region has been picked up for joint manoeuvres as the terrain has an uncanny resemblance to the rugged highlands in Afghanistan where US-led coalition forces are combating Taliban militia.

The exercises will be only the second such joint manoeuvres held in the frontier region. Indian and US Special Forces held mountain warfare exercises in the same region last year, raising eyebrows in Beijing.

Most of the 150 strong royal marines, including 10 officers, have been drawn from contingents that have had an operational stint in Afghanistan.

The exercises would involve heliborne operations with small units of troops being dropped at extreme heights and then going through survival endurance tests chased by well armed pursuers.

Before embarking on the joint exercises, royal marines would get acclimatized by undergoing a 10-day course at Army's specialised high altitude warfare school in Sonamarg in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Operations would also be conducted in glaciated terrain," Army officers said without giving out the exact locale of the exercises.