Army sends first 300 of 600 soldiers to India for jungle warfare training

The Nigerian Army has begun sending 600 of its soldiers to India for training in jungle and mountain warfare, starting with a first group of 300.

That first batch left Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday, 22 October 2026, on two Indian Air Force aircraft, a C-17 and an Airbus A321, the Army said in a statement on Friday.

The Army's acting director of public relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the remaining 300 soldiers are still being arranged for airlift to India.

Why it matters

Much of Nigeria's security trouble happens in hard-to-reach places: forests where bandits and kidnappers camp, and hilly areas where insurgents and armed groups move freely. The Army says this training is meant to make its troops better at fighting in exactly those kinds of terrain.

According to Anele, the goal is to build a force that can take on terrorists, insurgents and other criminal elements operating in forests, mountains and other difficult environments, and to stop them from finding safe hiding places.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, was represented at the airport by Major General UG Yusuf, coordinator of the Nigerian Military Training Support and Advisory Team at Army Headquarters. The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria was also there to see the soldiers off.

The Army said the exercise went smoothly and that the programme also strengthens defence ties between Nigeria and India.

It is not clear from the statements how long the training will last or what it costs.

What happens next

The Army says plans are in progress to fly out the second group of 300 soldiers. Once both batches are in India, the full 600 will be undergoing the specialised course.