NEW DELHI (PTI): Special forces of India and Kyrgyzstan on Friday began a two-week military exercise in Bishkek with a focus on counter-terror drills, officials said.

The eighth edition of special forces exercise, 'Khanjar', was inaugurated at a facility of special forces brigade of the national guards of the Kyrgyz republic, they said.

Initiated in 2011, the exercise focusses on high-altitude warfare as well as counter-terror drills, the officials said.

Commander of Kyrgyz national guards, Colonel Ergeshov Talantbek, in his opening remarks, commended high-altitude resilience of the two forces personnel and their growing interoperability, the officials said.

In 2015, India and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement on bolstering defence cooperation.

Since then, the two sides have gradually strengthened military and defence ties.