For twin brothers Laxman and Ram Rana, Exercise Austrahind in the city of Pune, western India, felt like a homecoming.
The Rana brothers - part of the contingent of 120 Australian Army soldiers who participated - spent two of their formative years growing up on the Indian Army base in Pune where the exercise was held over two weeks in November.
Their father was one of many Nepalese soldiers in the Indian Army who served in the Gurkha Rifles and posted to Pune from 1991 to 1992.
Seeing their father's experience in uniform inspired the twins to join the Army of their adopted nation one month apart in 2016.
"The Army always excited me and I wanted a challenge away from my day job," Private Laxman Rana, an oil and gas adviser in his civilian role, said.
"I was very excited to go back to Pune but everything has changed after 25 years. The whole landscape is so different because there are so many new buildings.
"It was great to hang out with the Indian guys on this exercise and share with them how we do things. It has been great to come back after so many years."
The brothers still have family in Pune and, in between training commitments, got the chance to spend time with relatives and share a meal.
Private Rana said he was grateful for the experience alongside his twin - their first overseas trip together since joining the Army Reserve.
"After I moved to Australia and finished my studies, I knew I wanted to join the Army; at least in the Reserves. I wanted to give back to Australia because they gave me the opportunity to live and work there," Private Rana said.
"I probably would never have had the chance to come back here to Pune if it weren't for the opportunity the Defence Force gave me."
Private Ram Rana, an infantry soldier with the 11th/28th Battalion, the Royal Western Australia Regiment, said his training highlight in Pune was conducting urban operations drills alongside Indian Army personnel.
However, he admitted the buildings looked very different to when he was there last.
"I told my father we were going to Pune and he was very excited," he said.
"I took some pictures for him but everything has changed so he wouldn't recognise it from before."
