India, Kazak armies begin joint exercise
Our Correspondent
Kangra/Palampur, Nov 2
A 14-day joint training exercise “Prabal Dostyk – 2017” between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army began today with the opening ceremony at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh.
Col NN Joshi, defence spokesperson, said here today that the joint exercise was aimed at enhancing the military ties between the two countries as also at achieving interoperability between the two armies. The training contingents comprise of a platoon from the Third Battalion of the 11thGorkha Rifles of the Indian Army and a similar strength of the Kazakhstan Army. Senior military observers of both the countries will also witness the validation phase of the joint exercise, Col Joshi said.
He further said the aim of the joint exercise was also to acquaint both forces with one another’s operating procedures in the backdrop of counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations under the UN mandate. He said the overall aim was to enhance the existing military relationship between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army and achieve synergy for the joint conduct of operation as and when the requirement arose. Personnel of both contingents were hopeful of a fruitful learning experience and were sanguine that the two weeks of training would go a long way in enhancing the ties not only between the two armies but also between the people of the two nations, he added. The Kazakhstan Army contingent landed at Gaggal Airport on November 1, 2017.
