Operational Training prepares the Army to meet such requirements. It consists of all training in field formations which are planned, coordinated and conducted under formation/unit arrangements. Individual training, sub-unit and unit training, collective training, field firing etc. all form part of operational training. The Indian Army's training cycle is normally on a yearly basis. The training year is from July to June.

INDIVIDUAL TRAINING

The aspects of individual training that have been standardized are: -

• Physical training

• Skill at arms

• Field craft, drill and field engineering

• Crew/detachment training

Armour
The armour units train during Annual Field firing practices carried out at select few ranges in the country.

Artillery including Air Defense
Amongst the Arms, Artillery has the maximum number of training facets already quantified. The Corps has a system of annual practice camps in vogue, which are assessed.

Infantry
Consequent to Individual training all infantry units not committed operationally go through a strict regimen of Annual Training Cycle wherein the Formation Commander lays down specific standards to be achieved.

Engineers
Over the years, the Corps of Engineers has evolved realistic planning data for execution of engineering tasks by units and subunits. For most engineer tasks, detailed target timings, under specified conditions, have been laid down. By and large, all combat engineer tasks lend themselves to be quantified, in terms of laid down timings.

In war, Combat Engineers provide mobility to own forces by constructing bridges, tracks and helipads; on the other hand, the Corps denies the same to the enemy by creating obstacles such as laying mine-fields and demolition of bridges. The need for accurate survey arose before combat engineering. Vast holdings had to be carefully delineated and mapped out, to plan the correct form of commercial extraction. By 1780, serious attention began to be given to the art of sapping and mining.

Signals
Each Signals Regiment exercises itself once every year to cover all aspects of communications. The thrust in the new millennium being on information Technology and Automation. All other Arms and Services have systems to assess subunit and unit training to varying degrees. This has become one of the most potent force multipliers and a technologically challenging field in which the Corps has developed tremendous expertise. EW has played a stellar role in anti-insurgency and low intensity conflict operations besides the conventional operations conducted earlier in Sri Lanka and recently in Kargil.

Collective Training

Collective Training is conducted to weld individuals and teams into effective subunits and units, and to practice all echelons of command in their operational tasks. Collective Training also tests the mechanics of battle drills, battle procedures and signal communications on the ground. The performance of a unit and formation in collective training provides an insight into its training standards and the state of its combat preparedness. Training exercises in the Indian Army are organization of umpires, pooled from other units and formations.