PUNE: The Humanitarian Mine Actions (HMA) leg of Africa–India Joint Field Training Exercise 2019 (AFINDEX-19) between 17 African nations and Indian Army, has been conducted at College of Military Engineering (CME), Dapodi, in four phases.
As per Army officials, the first phase included the ‘training of the trainers’ from the participating nations. The second phase involved detailed training of the entire contingent of 180 trainees on various aspects of the HMA training. The training was structured around the five pillars of mine action which are Mine Risk Education (MRE), Demining including manual, mechanical and dog assisted demining, victim assistance, use of anti-personnel mines including total ban and Stockpile Destruction.
The third phase of training involved practising the drills on the ground by the contingents under the instructors from CME, as part of the validation exercise. During this exercise, the use of Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) was done for simulating mine casualty evacuation. The training on stockpile destruction was conducted by using three methods of detonation, burning and incineration.
The final phase of training was conducted as a static equipment display. The trainees were shown and briefed on latest equipment in HMA held by CME, as well as government and non-government agencies such as R&DE, Dighi, Artificial Limb Centre (ALC), Pune and civilian defence equipment production agencies.
This is the first edition of AFINDEX-19 which is being conducted at Pune under the overall supervision of Headquarters, Southern Command. The exercise commenced on March 18 and would culminate on March 27. The training of the participating nations is being conducted at two locations i.e. the HMA training is being done at CME, Dapodi and peacekeeping operations being conducted at Foreign Training Node, Aundh Military Station.
