New Delhi: India is ready to take part in the Multi-Nations ‘Zapad’ military training in Nizhniy in Russia from September 3 to 16.
Whether China and Pakistan also participated in the nation’s 17-nation exercises but as “observers” without the actual troops were being deployed for practice.
Indian soldiers have sent around 200 soldiers, especially from Dragon Regiment, as “all combined combined weapons” for exercise, which is one of the theater level exercises from the Russian armed forces.
“This exercise aims to increase military and strategic bonds among countries that participate when they plan and carry out this exercise, which will focus on counter-terrorism operations,” said an officer.
India has been out of Shanghai cooperation (SCO) exercises ‘Kavkaz’ in Russia in September last year because Chinese forces and Pakistan were also scheduled to take part in combat training, as reported by TOI.
The decision to withdraw from Kavkaz’s practice has come in the midst of increasing tensions during military confrontation with China in East Ladakh after clashes of violence in Galwan Valley on June 15.
Since then, India and China have carried out troops on both sides of Pangong TSO and gorogravents, although there are still deadlocks over other friction points in hot springs, Demchok and Depsang Plains, while the overall de-escalation along the actual control line has not been on the horizon.
India and Pakistan in February this year also decided to observe the ceasefire of fresh border after 2020 which was very cruel, with the artillery duel and shooting between rival forces violating all annual records in the last 18 years.
The ceasefire has been held so far, although some infiltration efforts have been reported.
The upcoming Zapad exercises will include troops from India, Russia, Mongolia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia and Belarus.
Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka, in turn, will participate as “observers” or with “HQ staff”.
“The Indian contingent has been entered through a heavy training schedule which includes all aspects of conventional operations including mechanical, air, Heliborne, counter-terrorism, combat conditioning and shooting,” the officer said.