New Delhi, Sep 28. A 60-member contingent of the Indian armed forces has left for Kazakhstan to participate in the ninth edition of the India-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise KAZIND, aimed at enhancing interoperability and joint capabilities for counter-terrorism operations.
The exercise is being conducted at Oskemen in Kazakhstan from September 28 to October 11, with the Kazakh armed forces fielding a contingent of similar strength, primarily drawn from its Land Forces.
The Indian contingent comprises mainly personnel from a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, along with troops from other arms and services and personnel from the Indian Air Force.
The fortnight-long exercise will focus on joint counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain, particularly in a sub-conventional environment under a United Nations mandate.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the training programme will place emphasis on joint planning and execution, air mobility and the integrated use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS capabilities.
The participating forces will rehearse responses to a range of simulated terrorist threats, including raids, search-and-destroy missions, cordon-and-search operations, securing helipads and landing sites, and special heliborne operations.
The exercise will also see the establishment of a joint command post and an intelligence and surveillance centre to facilitate coordinated planning, information sharing and execution of operations.
The training will culminate in a comprehensive validation exercise in which the two contingents will jointly employ the tactics, techniques and procedures practised during the exercise against a simulated terrorist threat.
The Defence Ministry said KAZIND-2026 would provide an opportunity for the participating forces to exchange operational experiences and strengthen professional ties, mutual trust and camaraderie.
The exercise is also expected to further deepen military-to-military cooperation between India and Kazakhstan and reinforce their shared commitment to regional peace, stability and collective security.
