India to participate in mega war game in Russia next month

India will send a tri-services contingent of nearly 200 personnel to take part in a multilateral war game in Russia next month, in first such participation in a mega military drill after outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, official sources said on Tuesday.

China, Pakistan and a number of or member nations of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) are expected to participate in strategic command-post exercise, y said.

Around 150 Indian Army troops, 45 Indian Air Force personnel and a number of Navy officers will form Indian contingent for exercise scheduled to be held in Astrakhan region in sourn Russia from September 15 to 26, sources said.

y said a meeting of representatives of countries participating in military drill took place in Volgogr on Tuesday to discuss various aspects of exercise.

Russia has been a major partner of India in defence sector and cooperation has been steily growing furr.

Tweeting about event, Russian Embassy here on Tuesday said, "preparations for #Kazkaz2020 Strategic Command and Control Exercise are underway in Russia. Indian military representatives among participants." embassy also posted Russian defence ministry tweet which said, "a staff meeting for military representatives of countries participating in #Kazkaz2020 Strategic Command and Control Exercise – Belarus, India, Iran, Myanmar and Pakistan – started today in Volgogr."

In June, a tri-services contingent from India participated at Victory Day Pare at iconic Red Square in Moscow to commemorate 75th anniversary of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in Second World War. A contingent from China h also attended it.

invite for exercise comes at a time when India and China are locked in a bitter border row in eastern Lakh.

Both India and China are members of SCO, an influential regional grouping.

Indian and Chinese troops have been engd in a standoff in several areas along Line of Actual Control in eastern Lakh. Both countries are holding talks at military and diplomatic levels to resolve dispute.

Russia has alrey said that India and China should resolve border dispute through talks and that a "constructive" relationship between two countries was important for regional stability.

SCO, seen as a counterweight to NATO, has emerged as one of largest transregional international organisations which accounts for almost 44 per cent of world population stretching from Arctic Ocean to Indian Ocean and from Pacific Ocean to Baltic Sea.

aim of SCO is to maintain peace, stability and security of region. India became a member of SCO in 2017.

It will be first major multilateral military exercise in which India is participating after coronavirus pandemic broke out.