Indian military contingent at last year’s war games hosted by Russia.
New Delhi: The Indian Army will not be participating in multilateral Kavkaz 2020 exercise. A highly placed defence source confirmed the development amid rising tensions at eastern and northern front. It said the participation of China and Pakistan joint military exercise was the reason behind India’s decision.
Currently, troops of Indian and Chinese armies are in a tense face-off at the line of actual control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. In June, a bloody skirmish between the two armies left 20 Indian soldiers, including a colonel, dead. There have been reports of Chinese casualties, but Beijing has refused to give any figure.
Russia, an old ally of India, is hosting the multilateral exercise where armies of the Asia are also participating.
The drill will be held in Astrakhan region of south Russia between September 15 and 26. The exercise was expected to witness the participation of over 12,500 troops, including from India.
It may be noted that just few days earlier, India’s defence ministry had confirmed its participation as the exercise has been tagged as strategic command-post exercise where India’s immediate neighbours both Pakistan and China are participating.
It was officially informed that the Indian contingent would include around 180 troops and officers from across infantry, artillery, mechanized and armoured forces along with special forces, air defence and Corps of Signals.
China is sending an army contingent, and also a naval deployment of three ships to the exercise.
Apart from Shanghai Cooperation Organization members – China, Pakistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – the exercise will also have participation of troops from Mongolia, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Belarus, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Contingents from Abkhazia, and South Osetia, which are partially recognized by states by Russia and a few other nations, will also be present.
