India and Uzbekistan begin annual military drills

RT.com
13 Apr 2026, 12:15 GMT+10

The seventh edition of the exercises focuses on special operations and counter-terror coordination

India and Uzbekistan have kicked off the seventh edition of their annual joint military exercises. Launched in 2019, the exercise is held alternately in India and Uzbekistan each year.

This year's drills, titled 'Dustlik 2026', started on Sunday at the Gurumsaray Field Training Area in Namangan, Uzbekistan.

The focus of theexercisesis to enhance preparedness for the planning and execution of joint special operations and counter-terrorism coordination against unlawful armed groups, the Indian Army said in a statement.

TheIndian contingentcomprises 60 personnel, including 45 from a battalion of the Mahar Regiment, and 15 from the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The Uzbek contingent is also drawn from its army and air force personnel.

The Indian personnel are also expected to familiarize themselves with the operational procedures and drills of the Uzbekistan Armed Forces.

A 48-hour validation phase to test joint tactical drills is also on the agenda.

The previous edition of the annual joint military exercises was held in April 2025 at the Foreign Training Node in Pune.

India, which has a wide-ranging cooperation with Uzbekistan, established a joint working group on defense with the Central Asian nation in 2019.

(RT.com)

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Thailand Herald.

More Information

Asia

Section

Mixue entry signals China’s push into Brazil’s consumer sector

SAO PAULO, Brazil: Chinese investment in Brazil is increasingly shifting toward consumer-facing sectors, as companies target the country's...

Rising energy costs to erode cement manufacturers margins by up to 200 bps: Crisil

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 13 (ANI): Cement manufacturers in India are likely to witness a sharp decline in profitability...

India's Data Centre capacity to reach 5 GW by 2030; Market size USD 22 billion: Vestian

New Delhi [India], April 13 (ANI): India's data centre capacity is projected to reach approximately 5 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, driven...

India and Uzbekistan begin annual military drills

The seventh edition of the exercises focuses on special operations and counter-terror coordination India and Uzbekistan have kicked...

Column: Chinese-built hydropower stations in Cambodia play pivotal role amid fuel supply volatility

In the face of global fuel instability, Chinese-built hydropower stations have acted as the anchor of the Cambodian grid. by Joseph...

"It is a big escalation", Ajay Bagga on the global fallout of the Strait of Hormuz blockade

New Delhi [India], April 13 (ANI): Global financial markets have entered a period of intense volatility after President Trump announced...

International

Section