Pakistan, India set for joint drills

Russia is taking the lead in defusing tensions that threaten peace in South Asia

Pakistani and Indian forces will conduct military drills together for the first-time in September this year.

The armies of the two nations will meet in the Ural Mountains of Russia to participate in the military war games as members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), officials said.

The Chinese Army will also participate in the event.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman confirmed the Indian army’s participation in the antiterrorism exercises during her visit to Beijing last week. Later, Pakistan also announced the participation of its army in the event titled ‘Peace Mission 2018’ as a SCO member.

Cooperation against terror

Russia is reportedly taking the lead in defusing PakistanIndia tensions, which threaten peace in South Asia.

Russia anticipated that both Pakistan and India to give up confrontational attitude and hold talks for peaceful solution to the bilateral issues, according to a report published in Pakistan daily, The Nation.

This would be the first time that nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours would come together for a multi-nation exercise. However, the militaries of Pakistan and India have worked together in UN Peace Keeping missions.

The objective of the military drill is to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation among the eight SCO member countries.

The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and security organisation, which was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the leaders of China, Russia, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan and India joined as full members of the bloc in 2017.