India to host first military exercise of BIMSTEC group focusing on counter-terrorism

India will host the first military exercise of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) group focusing on counter-terrorism in Pune on September 2018. As part of this, a conclave of the Army chiefs of all 7 member-states is being planned. The purpose of the exercise is to promote strategic alignment among the member-states and to share best practices in the area of counter-terrorism. The theme includes counter-terrorism in semi-urban terrain and cordon and search, and each side will bring in some 30 soldiers. BIMSTEC was set up in 1997 and includes India, Bangladesh, Bhutan Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.