Lieutenant General Devendra Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, SM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army Training Command, reviewed the Passing Out Parade at the Combat Army Aviation Training School (CAATS), Nashik, on June 2, 2026.
The ceremony marked the successful culmination of professional training for officers graduating from the Combat Army Aviators Course, Army Helicopter Instructor Course, Basic Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Course and RPAS Instructor Course.
During the event, the graduating officers were awarded their Aviation Wings, Instructor Badges and professional qualifications, signifying their readiness to undertake operational aviation responsibilities in the Indian Army.
A major highlight of the occasion was Exercise Aviation Shakti, a dynamic combat demonstration showcasing the evolving capabilities of the Army Aviation Corps in modern warfare.
The exercise featured the coordinated employment of RPAS platforms, weapon-system-integrated helicopters, Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Cheetah and Chetak helicopters operating alongside armoured and infantry formations in simulated battlefield scenarios.
The display demonstrated advanced Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) concepts, real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), precision engagement capabilities and integrated battlefield operations. The exercise highlighted the Indian Army’s growing focus on technology-enabled, multi-domain warfare and enhanced operational effectiveness.
Lt Gen Sharma commended the officers for successfully completing their demanding training and praised the professionalism displayed during the exercise. He also complimented the Commandant of CAATS and his team for their persistent efforts in delivering realistic, technology-driven and future-ready aviation training.
The exercise underscored the Indian Army’s commitment to strengthening its aviation and unmanned systems capabilities as part of its broader modernization and battlefield transformation initiatives.
The successful conduct of the Passing Out Parade and Exercise Aviation Shakti reaffirmed the Army Aviation Corps’ role as a key enabler of operational mobility, reconnaissance, precision engagement and integrated combat operations in future battlefields.
