Despite tension, India and Pakistan Army to take part in joint drill

New Delhi: At a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, armies of both the nations will be participating in a multilateral military exercise in Russia next month.

The exercise “Ex TSENTR (Centre)” is the initiative of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) and will see soldiers of the member countries participating in the military drill to be held from 10 September to 21 September at Orenburg in Russia.

China too will be a part of the military exercise. Russia has also invited  Iran, Mongolia, Turkm-enistan and Belarus to participate in the exercise.  This is the second time that India will be participating in the SCO military exercise.

India is planning to send around 140 men to take part in  the exercise which will involve anti-terror war games and drill towards military security in the Central Asian Region.  

The anti-terror war games will involve exercise where conventional and counter- terrorist operations would be executed against a rogue state responsible for spreading state sponsored terrorism in the region. India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members in 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The exercise will come at a time when there is increased tensions between India and Pakistan.