The Indian Armed Forces is due to begin a major exercise called Maha Gajraj 2011 over the Pokharan western desert in Rajasthan, India.

Indian Army and Air Force personnel will participate in the joint exercise under South Western Air Command to validate their war-fighting doctrines, according to Press Trust of India.

More than 50,000 troops and over 200 main battle tanks will participate in the exercise alongside the air force’s frontline combat aircraft, including the Su-30, Jaguars and the Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS).

The exercise will finish in December 2011.