The eighth edition of India-Russia Joint Military Exercise ‘INDRA-2016’ has begun in the Ussiriysk District in Vladivostok, Russia. The 11 days bilateral military exercise seeks to achieve interoperability in joint operations.
Troops from both sides would acquaint themselves with the respective approach to counter-Terrorism operations under UN mandate.
Here are the highlights of the exercise:
- Main focus of this edition of the joint exercise is on ‘counter-terrorism operations in semi-mountainous and jungle terrain under United Nations mandate.
- Indian army contingent is represented by 250 soldiers from the Kumaon Regiment. It is led by Brigadier Sukrit Chadah.
- Russian army is being represented by 250 soldiers from the 59th Motorised Infantry Brigade.
- During the exercises, the Eastern Military District and Indian troops used Russian Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles to jointly learn to detect simulated illegal armed groups.
- Orlan-10 drones are designed to carry out remote surveying and can work to adjust fire or survey damages, as well as function as a connection repeater. The UAV has been used in Russia’s counterterrorist aerial campaign in Syria.
- With the drills going on, more than 500 servicemen, over 50 armoured infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, tanks and multiple-launch rocket systems are took part.
- The ‘Indra’ series of annual bilateral exercises and is one of the major bilateral defence cooperation initiatives between India and Russia since 2003.
- The seventh edition of this military exercise or ‘Indra-2015’ was held in Bikaner district of Rajasthan, India.
- The Indian contingent is scheduled to return to India on termination of the Exercise in the first week of October ‘16.
