Moscow, May 25, 2005

Counter-terrorism is the theme of the joint Indo-Russian military exercises which will involve, for the first time, both land forces and a Naval fleet from both countries. The exercises are being held for a week in India in October and will last 10 days.

The exercises were finalised during the visit of Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov when he visited India in December. A Russian delegation has just returned to Moscow after a weeklong stay in New Delhi where high-level consultations with the Ministry of Defence were held. A team from New Delhi may also visit Moscow in connection with the joint exercises. "Everything is on course for the exercises in which land forces of India and Russia will be participating for the first time together," an official said.

Sources in Moscow say around 160 paratroopers from an unmade special unit of the Russian armed forces are expected to take part in the event. The Russian paratroopers will be joined by an equally large contingent of their Indian counterparts. They are expected to take off from Agra and land in Rajasthan. Even in Moscow, sketchy details were available of the Naval end of the exercises. What is known is that a Naval fleet from both countries will participate and the exercises will be conducted somewhere along the Eastern coast.