Pakistani, Indian troops to conduct first-ever military drills together

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

According to a report in an Indian newspaper, the two arch-rivals will participate in a multi-nation military exercise to be held in in Russia’s Ural Mountains.

The exercise, Peace Mission 2018, is a part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and will focus on counter-terrorism operations. Eight countries, including Pakistan, India, China and Russia, will participate in the military exercise.

Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made an official announcement on Tuesday that India will participate in the multi-nation military exercise, the report said.

In the past, Pakistani and Indian soldiers have operated together as peacekeepers in missions of the United Nations.

However, this will be the first-ever military exercise in which both the countries will fight together in mock operations against terrorists.

Peace Mission 2018 will be the fifth edition of the multilateral exercise, held once in two years.

The SCO was formed in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. It now has eight full members, including Pakistan, India and Uzbekistan. Another four nations have been accorded ‘observer’ status, while six others are ‘dialogue’ partners.