Article Posted on : - Feb 24, 2015

KATHMANDU (PTI): India and Nepal have begun a battalion-level combined military training exercise here, focussing on counterterrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the mountainous and jungle terrain.

The 8th 'Surya Kiran' exercise began on Monday at the Integrated Army Training Centre, Saljhandi, where the Nepalese contingent was represented by a battalion from an Infantry Division of Nepalese Army.

The Indian side was represented by an equivalent strength from a Mountain Brigade.

The focus of the ongoing exercise is to carry out counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in the mountainous and jungle terrain and to practice facets of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including actions to be taken during pandemic, epidemic and various other humanitarian assistance situations.

Aviation aspects and environmental conservation are also included in the scope of this exercise, an official statement said.

The two week-long exercise will see the contingents hone their tactical and technical skills in countering insurgency and terrorism.

State-of-the-art equipment for surveillance and tracking, specialist weapons for close quarter battle with terrorists, explosives and IED detectors, as well as the latest communication equipment are being fielded by both sides.

The two countries will train, plan and execute a series of well-developed combined tactical drills for neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered in counterterrorism and counter-insurgency operations, the statement said.