New Delhi: India Saturday withdrew from a multilateral military exercise — Kavkaz-2020 — that was scheduled to be held in southern Russia next month as it did not want to perform drills with Chinese soldiers amid tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), ThePrint has learnt.
The decision was taken after a high-level military and diplomatic meeting, sources in the defence and security establishment said.
The exercise is to be held in the Astrakhan province of southern Russia between 15 and 27 September, and other participants include Pakistan, among other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an intergovernmental organisation comprising eight Asian nations.
India had planned to send 200 military personnel, including 180 soldiers from an infantry battalion and observers from the IAF and the Navy, to take part in the exercise, also known as Caucasus-20.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said the Covid pandemic and the prospect of doing military drills with Chinese and Pakistani soldiers in the multilateral exercise proved “the tilting point” in India’s decision to withdraw.
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India-Russia military diplomacy
Kavkaz is part of a four-year exercise cycle of the Russian army, and the name is based on the region where these exercises are held. Previous editions of the exercise were held in 2012 and 2016.
A total of 13,000 troops will participate in the exercise. China is likely to participate with substantial numbers of Naval surface combatants, defence sources had earlier said.
India’s military diplomacy with Russia, through a series of joint military exercises, started in 2003 with the first edition of Ex Indra, a bilateral Naval exercise.
India and China have been involved in a tense stand-off along the western sector of the LAC, in Ladakh, that has been continuing since May. Fresh satellite images that came to light Friday suggest that China is developing two air defence positions along the eastern sector of the LAC that will cover the 2017 Doklam face-off area and also Naku La in Sikkim, the site of a border clash this May.
Also Read: No progress made in India-China major general-level talks, all eyes now on diplomatic parleys
India has isolated itself by being a mischievous neighbour to all around it. All those who gave India a beating are participating, hence India had to save face and evade like it does the UN plebiscite in IIOJK.
Do you have money to buy food today? Madrassa chap porki your 72000 enunch army surrendered to india, have some shame. Go lick your master China’s ass and present your ass hole for your masters pleasure. Beggers
India has yet again shown its little heart and cowardiness, and ran away from the joint military exercise, just because they would face Chinese and Pakistani forces… Just think how they would face them in actual war when they can not even face them in military exercise… Pure example of being loosers. Really feel sorry for them.
Good decision of Indian authorities . Because false posturing always create a false impression. Today’s clear decisions , always make ease in future.
What else can you expect from this ‘brave’ army trembling with fear from joining an exercise in amicable situation with Chinese and Pakistani soldiers? What will be the condition of this ”brave’ Indian army while fighting two front war which is quite imminent? The trailer can be seen by the ever increasing number of Indian soldiers committing suicide in IIOK just by thinking that innocent Kashmiri freedom fighters will slaughter them in a broad day light!!! Wowww what a ‘brave’ army!!!