PAKISTAN TROOPS TO TRAIN AT RUSSIAN MILITARY INSTITUTES AFTER DEFENCE PACT
ISLAMABAD : Pakistan and Russia have signed an agreement for training of Pakistani troops at Russian military training institutes, a move that could increase worries in New Delhi over the burgeoning military cooperation between Islamabad and Moscow.
“Both countries signed the Contract on Admission of Service Members of Pakistan in RF’s (Russian Federation) Training Institutes,” the Dawn newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing a statement from Pakistan’s defence ministry.
The pact was signed at the conclusion of the first meeting of the Russia-Pakistan Joint Military Consultative Committee (JMCC), described by the defence ministry as the highest forum for defence collaboration between the two sides. Earlier this year, the two sides had agreed to set up the commission during then foreign minister Khawaja Asif’s visit to Moscow. The agreement on training follows the sale of four Russian Mi-35 gunship helicopters to Pakistan in 2016 and the holding of the Druzva (Friendship) joint military exercise over the past two years.
Deputy defence minister Col Gen Alexander Fomin led the Russian side at the talks in Islamabad while defence secretary Lt Gen (retired) Zamirul Hassan Shah headed the Pakistani team. During the talks, the two sides reviewed progress in cooperation since they signed a defence cooperation pact in November 2014.
Pakistan and Russia signed a military-technical cooperation accord in October 2015 for arms supplies and cooperation in weapons development.
“A comprehensive issue-based review was also carried out during which the two countries expressed satisfaction on the milestones achieved,” the defence ministry said.