Troops of the Indian Army’s Assam Regiment clinched the coveted gold medal at the prestigious Cambrian Patrol 2026 military drill, that was held from October 2-12 in Wales, United Kingdom.Competing against over 100 teams in one of the world’s toughest military patrolling exercises, the Indian Army team demonstrated exceptional endurance, tactical acumen, teamwork and an unwavering resolve to win, emerging among the 10 teams awarded Gold, according to information shared by the Indian Army on Tuesday.“A testament to the Yoddha Spirit – where rigorous training, battlefield skills and the pursuit of excellence translate into victory on the global stage,” the Army posted on its official X handle.While the Army has not disclosed the battalion to which the winning troops belong to, “Bhairav” is mentioned on the shoulder epaulettes of one of the soldiers in an officially released photograph.Bhairav are light commando battalions raised in 2025 for rapid-response, high-impact and short-notice border contingencies or hybrid warfare operations, designed to bridge the gap between tactical Ghatak platoons in infantry battalions and the strategic Special Forces battalions.All infantry regiments are envisioned to have at least one Bhairav battalion having a similar troop composition, though these are smaller and more mobile and technologically intensive. The Assam Regiment’s Bhairav battalion is numbered ‘6’.The Assam Regiment, raised on June 15, 1941 at Shillong in Meghalaya as part of the British Indian Army to meet the requirements of the Second World War, comprises troops from the ethnic communities of north-east India. The Regiment comprises 15 regular infantry battalions, three Rashtriya Rifles battalions, five Territorial Army battalions and two battalions of the Arunachal Scouts.Exercise Cambrian Patrol is the British Army’s premier all arms patrol exercise and is open to all three services as well as international participants. It is hosted by Headquarters 160th (Welsh) Brigade on behalf of the Commander Field Army and the event has been running for over 60 years.According to the exercise’s website, it is a mission focused and scenario-based exercise. It is not a competition, although patrol performance is assessed throughout based on Battlecraft Syllabus (BCS) and Individual Training Requirement (ITR), in addition to robustness and leadership.The exercise is currently made up of eight phases, each of 48 hours, over 10 days. Each patrol covers approximately 60 kms with an average climb and descent of over 1,000 meters while carrying no more than 32 kgs per person. The Exercise is designed to be arduous and all participants must be prepared both mentally and physically for the challenge ahead.Indian Army participants have won gold medal at the Cambrian Patrol several times in the past. These include troops from the Gorkha Rifles and the Garhwal Rifles. Last year, the Indian Army had won a silver medal.