Indian Army to participate in Zapad-2021 wargames with 17 countries including China & Pak

Amid the stand-off with China and escalated terror support by Pakistan, India will show its military strength to both the neighbours in a joint military exercise. The military exercise Zapad-2021 will be held in Russia from September 3, wherein troops of 17 countries have been invited. 

The countries invited include China, Pakistan, Armenia, Belarus, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Serbia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. India will be participating in Zapad with a strength of 250 troops. 

In 2019, the Indian Army had participated in Exercise Tsentr with a strength of 140 personnel while staying away from the 2020 Kavkaz exercise, citing the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Kavkaz exercise, China and Pakistan had also participated in the joint exercise.

The two-week-long exercise will take place at Mulino Training Ground in Nizhniy, which is 423 km east of Moscow.  Zapad-2021 is a part of the annual series of large-scale exercises that are significant to the Russian Armed Force's annual training cycle. 

The series rotates through four main Russian strategic Commands, including Zapad (West), Vostok (East), Tsentr (Center), and Kavkaz (Caucasus). Besides Zapad, there are two more exercises that are planned in Russia -- Exercise Indira and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Military exercise. 

Exercise Indira will be held from August 1-13, in which a unit of Mechanised Infantry of the Indian Army is participating. Indian troops will not only display their strength but also enhance interoperability with friendly foreign armies in the 17 nation exercise. India's fine coordination with friendly nations including Russia will send across a message to China and Pakistan during the Zapad exercise.

(Image Credits: PTI)