The President, Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, will review Army exercise Sudarshan Shakti in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan today. It is being conducted in Barmer-Jaisalmer sector jointly by the Southern Command of Army, and the South Western Air Command.

AIR correspondent covering the exercise reports that Defence Minister Mr. A.K.Antony and the Chief of Army Staff General V.K. Singh will also witness the spectacular event.

Defence sources say, it is one of the biggest military exercises undertaken by the Indian Army in the last two decades. The exercise has deployed as many as 50,000 soldiers, 500 armoured vehicles including battle tanks, as well as fighter jets and combat helicopters of the Indian Air Force and tactical support of Navy.

21 Corps commander, Lt Gen Sanjiv Langer, who is spearheading the exercise said that exercise was helping the Army work together to use the latest technology to create real time situations.

Operative computers are connected on a local area network and field commanders are getting an opportunity to take instant decisions. They are also using satellite technology extensively.

The basic objective of Exercise Sudarshan Shakti is to create a lean and agile fighting force, to exploit technology, to facilitate real time reconnaissance and work in tandem with the air force.