Khanjar: India-Kyrgyztan Military Exercise

India and Kyrgyztan recently held a joint Special Force Military Exercise called the “Khanjar”. The exercise was held at Bishek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

About the Exercise

• The exercise was held for two weeks.
• It will focus on counter-terrorism and high-altitude and mountain trainings.
• The Khanjar exercise is held annually between India and Kyrgyzstan since 2011.

India-Kyrgyzstan

In 2015, India and Kyrgyzstan signed four agreements. The agreements focused on boosting defence cooperation. Kyrgyzstan is located in Central Asia. India has been looking for several opportunities to increase its trade in the region lately. The INSTC (International North South Transport Corridor) and Chabahar ports were planned and developed to fulfil India’s interests in central Asia. Developing good relations with Kyrgyzstan is thus important for India.

Terrorist threats

• The Fergana valley is shared by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The valley is home to terrorist groups such as Hizb-ut-Tahtir and Islamic movement of Uzbekistan.
• With US withdrawing its troops, Taliban might take the central stage in Afghanistan. It might expand its presence from Afghanistan. Thus, it is essential for India to build strong defence ties with these central Asian countries.

What is Special Force Unit of Indian Military?

The forces that are trained to operate a specific special task are special forces. For instance, Para Special Forces of the Indian Army are trained in various roles such as counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, special reconnaissance, counter-insurgency.

The Garud Commando Force  is a special force that operates under Indian Air Force. The main tasks of this force include counter-terrorism, providing security to IAF assets, hostage rescue.

The Marcos Special Force operates under Indian Navy. They are the Marine Commandos. The force has earned international reputation for its professionalism. The MARCOS was founded in 1987. THE MARCOS frequently conduct maritime operations in Jammu and Kashmir through the Wular lake and Jhelum river. They are trained to operate in all types of environment such as air, sea and land.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2021