Gangtok, Sept. 8 -- The Indian Army's Para Special Forces and the Navy's Marine Commandos (MARCOS) recently conducted a week-long joint scuba and combat diving exercise at an altitude of 17,000 feet in Sikkim, Defence officials said on Monday.

The exercise, held between August 30 and September 5, tested the forces in extreme cold-water conditions and challenging mountainous terrain. Participants carried out open-circuit air dives, closed-circuit pure oxygen dives, and combat night diving at depths of up to 17 metres.

"The high-altitude environment added unique challenges, reinforcing operational readiness and expanding the limits of combat diving capability," said a Defence spokesperson.

Officials highlighted that such exercises streng...