New Delhi: India is set to take part in a multilateral anti-terrorism military exercise in Russia next month that will also involve the participation of Pakistan and China.
Defence sources said the exercise, an initiative under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), is set to be held from 10-21 September at Orenburg in Russia.
The SCO is an intergovernmental organisation set up in 2001. Its main goals include promoting member-states’ cooperation in “politics, trade, the economy, research, technology and culture, as well as in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, and other areas”.
India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO in 2017.
The exercise, which comes amid increased tension between India and Pakistan over Article 370, will also involve Iran, an SCO observer state.
The theme of the exercise is ‘employment of forces for countering intentional terrorism and for proving military security in central Asian region’.
Last year’s SCO exercise marked the first time India and Pakistan participated in drills together.
Also read: Pakistan Army says will go to ‘any extent’ against India’s Kashmir move
Tensions on LoC
The 2019 exercise comes at a time when Pakistan’s Imran Khan administration has warned that the Modi government’s decision to remove Article 370 and bifurcate Jammu & Kashmir into two union territories could culminate in a war.
China, which borders Ladakh, now a union territory separate from J&K, has also issued a strong statement on the decision.
Even though Pakistan and India are set to join hands for the anti-terrorism exercise, tensions at the LoC have increased over the last few days and the Army has been put on high alert.
Lt Gen. Ranbir Singh, the General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command, said Tuesday that Pakistan, over the past few days, had intensified its efforts to increase the presence of terrorists on launchpads along the LoC and push infiltrators into Jammu & Kashmir.
Defence sources said Pakistan is expected to “heat up the LoC” in the coming days and its agencies will “calibrate a terror attack”.
Also read: Security forces say ready to handle violence along LoC, in Kashmir once restrictions ease
PM Modi can do one more good this year. Abolish this daily goose-stepping non-sense at the border. It achieves no valid purpose except it offers Pakistan an opportunity to present itself as a no-self-respect, “equal-to-India” goon.
My dear,
Lets’ leave the country and settle in middle East or afrika . There more money to earn and safety in writing any thing against ruling group say armed group following advance system of living. Rules of life and society. Let go. Why we are living in this use less county. We are eating here drinking here. finding clothes tv car pizza coke red bull kingfisher movies bollywood hollywood etc . So move today.
Mr.Ansari, so far, no where in the world history, it’s written that around 90,000 soldiers were forced to put their weapons on the ground and raise their both the hands up. It was made possible by the joint efforts of Indian Armed Forces. A blunder committed by ancestral politicians for their gain, we are lossing our beloved brothers either in air or on ground for the past 72 years. They (forces) are putting their ? and soul for safeguarding the motherland even with the old and obsolete machines and equipments. Facts are beyond your imagination. The sound sleep we have is by the grace of Armed Forces. When Wg.Cdr. Abhinandan was POW for nearly 60 hours, we lost our sleep and were restless watching TV now and then. Mig-21 Bison, a four decade aged fighter (upgraded) downed the F-16. Was that possible? It’s not Gun that fights but it’s shoulder behind it. And thus an Air Warrior has proved it beyond doubts. The wreckages are evidence and were shown on TV channels to the fellow citizens. I am not commenting for the sake of comments but wish to end uncalled for discussions on Indian Defence Forces. Was there any journalist/reporter to update for about 11 days, at the AN-32 crash site from where the last remains of martyers were collected to handover the same to their kith n kin? Think with cool mind, a politician whom we voted for wellbeing and good governance for 5 years, gets a huge amount as pay n allowances (and can double the amount by voice vote without any Pay Commission) free bungalow with water & electricity, latest design free car, free air n rail travel including all family members, free costly lunch on subsidies rate, ₹1500/- telephone allowance (even Gio is available for 3 months @₹399/-) absenting any day from parliament, and a good amount of pension for life time and many other facilities, who barely spoke a single word for the constituency from where elected, have we accounted during the past? for which none than us are responsible.
I fully agree with Mr. Anand the article is written to falsely glorify IAF . Flying an airplane four decades old is no achievement as it is very Normal practice with all other Air Forces of the world. However it’s very sad that so many young pilots lost their lives. You can avoid and improve by True narrative of facts and don’t lie, people and the world would find out the facts anyway.