New Delhi: In what could be a first-ever, neighbours India and Pakistan will carry out military drills as a part of multi-nation counter-terror exercise in Russia in September. China will also be a part of the drill.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had confirmed India’s participation during SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting held in Beijing last week.
Though India and Pakistan’s army have worked together in UN peace keeping missions, this will be the first time when both countries will be a part of a military drill.
On the other hand, India has been holding military exercise with China. However, it was suspended last year following Doklam stand-off.
The military drill is expected to be held in the Ural mountains of Russia, which will be attended by almost all countries under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a China-dominated security group.
‘Peace Mission’ among the SCO countries will be the main aim of the exercise.
Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are part of the SCO which was founded in 2001. Both India and Pakistan were inducted last year after remaining observers since 2005.
