[DAWN] In a first such event, military personnel from India and Pakistain are participating in an anti-terrorism exercise organised by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Russia. The exercise is aimed at enhancing cooperation between member states to deal with the growing threat of terrorism and extremism.
The exercise will see tactical-level operation being carried out in an international counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism environment.
Around 3,000 soldiers from India, Pakistain, China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan are taking part in the exercise.
The Indian contingent has 200 personnel, mainly from the infantry and other arms along with some from the Indian Air Force.
The training schedule for the Indian contingent includes target practice, house intervention drills, tactical and heliborne operations and combat conditioning, reports said.
They said the joint drills will build mutual confidence, interoperability and sharing of knowledge among troops of SCO members.
In previous editions, only Central Asian nations participated.
With India and Pakistain joining the exercise, SCO’s counter-terrorism mission has expanded to South Asia, a region in a grip of terrorism and extremism.
Former army officials loyal to the BJP were at a loss to explain why it was wrong for Mr Sidhu to hug the Pakistain army chief when contingents from the two countries were trying to sort out the menace of terrorism jointly.
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