Soldiers crossing a water body during Cambrian Patrol, considered the toughest such exercise on the planet. (Image credit: British Army)
Soldiers of the Indian Army's Assam Regiment have won a gold medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026, held in Wales in the UK. The Indian team competed against more than 100 teams from across the world and was among the 10 teams awarded gold medals in one of the most demanding military patrolling exercises anywhere.
The Army said the contingent displayed endurance, tactical proficiency, leadership and teamwork and that the result reflects its rigorous training standards and professional competence.Cambrian Patrol is organised by the British Army to assess operational effectiveness, physical endurance and tactical skills under realistic battlefield conditions. Teams spend about 48 hours moving through difficult mountainous terrain while carrying out tasks such as reconnaissance, navigation, casualty evacuation, tactical decision-making and combat drills, all under strict time limits.
A typical patrol has eight personnel, who cover around 60 kilometres carrying up to 32 kg each.
The tasks can also include crossing obstacles and minefields, gathering intelligence, communications, artillery target procedures and responses to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.The exercise is not a race with a single winner. Patrols are assessed against military training standards, with gold, silver and bronze medals for different levels of achievement, and a completion award for teams that finish below the medal thresholds.
That allows several teams to win gold in the same year. Recent editions have added scenarios involving drones, persistent surveillance and other modern threats, though the emphasis remains on a small team's ability to navigate, gather information and complete its mission under pressure.The Indian Army has taken part for several years, and Gorkha Rifles and Garhwal Rifles units feature prominently in documented results.
The 5th Battalion, 1st Gorkha Rifles won Gold in 2007, and the 4/9 Gorkha Rifles won Gold in 2010, followed by another Indian Gold in 2011. The 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles won Gold in 2014, and the Ghatak patrol of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Gorkha Rifles took Silver in 2015. The 2nd Battalion, 8th Gorkha Rifles, won Gold in 2016, and in 2021 the 4th Battalion, 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) won Gold after competing against 96 patrols, including 17 international teams.
In 2025, the 13th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles was among the silver medal recipients.Cambrian Patrol began in 1959 as a field-training exercise devised by Welsh Territorial Army soldiers to test basic soldiering skills, including endurance, leadership, navigation, teamwork and marksmanship. Its early format was a long march through Wales followed by a shooting exercise. It grew into an international event, drawing teams from countries including India, Pakistan, the United States, Finland, Estonia and Switzerland among others.
It is run by the 160th (Welsh) Brigade in mid-Wales in an area known as the Brecon Beacons.