NEW DELHI:  In what can best be described as a diplomatic mashup, India later this month is going to attend the Vostok 2022 military exercises in Russia where Chinese Liberation Army is also likely to take part. Meanwhile, Pakistan will attend a security drill in India in October.

“China has confirmed that their troops will take part in the Vostok 2022 military exercises. India’s 75-member contingent is ready and once the dates are confirmed they too will head to Vladivostok,’’ say sources.

The Vostok drills are due to start at the end of the month (tentatively between August 30 and September 5), and will include Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikstan. India hasn’t officially stated when the troops will leave. In 2021, India took part in the Zapad drills in Russia which included 17 countries, including China and Pakistan. Zapad means “West” in Russian. It was a military exercise conducted on Russia’s Western borders to showcase their strategic capabilities and practice operational maneuvers.

Meanwhile, according to reports, the Vostok 2022 exercise will be held under the command of the chief of Russia’s general staff, Valery Gerasimov, at 13 training grounds of the Eastern Military District.
Even though India is taking part in these drills, the military standoff continues due to the built up around Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“Asian century will happen when China and India come together. At the moment, the relationship is going through an extremely difficult phase after what China did at the border,’’ said External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, while addressing the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on Thursday .

Meanwhile, Pakistan has confirmed that it will attend the international counter-terrorism exercises in India (around October) under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The counter terrorism exercises are likely to be held around October in Manesar, Haryana.

At the weekly briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar confirmed Pakistan’s participation. He is reported to have said that there will be exercises under the ambit of SCO RATS (Regional Anti Terrorism Structure). India is chairing SCO RATS this year. Pakistan and India are part of the regional body that also includes China, Russia and Central Asian Republics (CARs).

Pak Army to take be part of SCO drill in Haryana
Pakistan has confirmed that it will attend the international counter-terrorism exercises in India (around October) under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The counter terrorism exercises are likely to be held around October in Manesar, Haryana