8th India-Kazakhstan joint military exercise KAZIND-2024 started at Surya Foreign Training Node, Auli, Uttarakhand. An annual affair, the exercise will end on 13th October. To bid to improve the joint military capability and undertake counter terrorism operations in a sub conventional scenario.
Aim
- The aim of the joint exercise is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
Objective
- The exercise will focus on operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
- Objectives to be achieved from the joint exercise are high degree of physical fitness, rehearsing and refining drills for operations at tactical level and sharing of best practices.
- Tactical drills to be rehearsed during the exercise include joint response to a terrorist action.
- Establishment of a joint command post, establishment of an intelligence and surveillance center.
- Securing of helipad or landing site, combat free fall, special heliborne operations, cordon and search operations, besides employment of drones and counter drone systems, among others.
Representation
- The Indian armed forces, comprising 120 personnel, are being represented by a battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army, along with other arms and services, as well as personnel from the Indian Air Force.
- The Kazakhstan contingent is being represented mainly by personnel from Land Forces and Airborne Assault Troopers.
Attendees
- The opening ceremony of the joint exercise was attended by Colonel Karibayev Nurlan Serikbayevich, Commander of Kazakhstan contingent, and Colonel Yogesh Upadhyay, Commander of Indian contingent.
About KAZIND
- It is a joint annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army and was instituted in 2016 as Exercise Prabal Dostyk, which was later upgraded to a company level exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind in 2018.