Pakistan, India to conduct first joint military exercise since 1947

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India will conduct a joint military exercise in August this year for the first time since 1947.

These exercises are part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Peace Mission 2018. Russia, China, India and Pakistan will take part in the exercise, with the mission’s primary focus being counter-terrorism operations.

The arch-rivals will conduct this military drill as part of a larger multi-national military exercise in the Ural Mountains of Russia.

Although Pakistani and Indian troops have participated together as members of various United Nations peacekeeping missions in the past, this will be the first time militaries of both countries will participate in joint counter-terrorism drills.

These SCO multi-nation military exercises are held once every two years and peace mission 2018 will be the fifth edition.

SCO was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by Tajikistan, Kyrghistan, Russia, China and Kazakhstan. With the inclusion of India, Uzbekistan and Pakistan, SCO now has eight countries as its full members. Additionally, four countries enjoy observer status and six countries are dialogue partners.