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A 60-member Indian Armed Forces contingent has departed for Oskemen in Kazakhstan for the ninth edition of the India-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise KAZIND-2026, which will be held from September 28 to October 11.
The Indian contingent comprises mainly troops from a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, along with personnel from other arms and services and the Indian Air Force. The Kazakhstan Armed Forces will field a contingent of similar strength, drawn primarily from its Land Forces.
The exercise is focused on strengthening interoperability between the two militaries for joint counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional environment under a United Nations mandate.
KAZIND-2026 will involve training in semi-urban and mountainous terrain, with emphasis on joint planning and execution, air mobility and the integrated employment of unmanned aerial systems and counter-UAS capabilities.
The troops will rehearse a range of counter-terrorism tasks, including responses to terrorist attacks, raids, search-and-destroy missions, cordon-and-search operations, securing helipads and landing sites, and special heliborne operations.
A Joint Command Post and an Intelligence and Surveillance Centre will also be established during the exercise to coordinate planning, intelligence and operational execution.
The exercise will culminate in a validation exercise in which the two contingents will jointly employ the tactics, techniques and procedures practised during the training against a simulated terrorist threat.
The Indian Army said the exercise would provide both sides an opportunity to share operational experience and strengthen military-to-military cooperation, while building mutual trust and interoperability.
KAZIND is part of the ongoing defence engagement between India and Kazakhstan and is aimed at reinforcing cooperation between the two armed forces and their shared commitment to regional peace and security.
Team BharatShakti
