Washington: Indian and the US soldiers on Tuesday (local time) celebrated the Basant Panchami festival amid the ongoing US-India Yudh Abhyas defence exercises.

"Wonderful to see US and Indian soldiers celebrate the Basant Panchami festival in the middle of the US-India Yudh Abhyas defence exercises. This is what US-India defence cooperation is about -- not just increased interoperability, but also stronger people-to-people ties," the US State Department said in a tweet.

The joint military exercise aims to enhance cooperation and interoperability in counter-terrorism operations.

The exercise started on February 8 and will end on February 20 at the Mahajan Field Firing Range (MFFR) in Rajasthan.

Basant Panchami, the festival which marks the arrival of the spring season in India, celebrated this year on February 16. Held on the fifth day (Panchami) of the Magha Maas (month), Basant Panchami is also celebrated as Saraswati Puja in some parts of India.