India and Russia are seeking closer military ties. The armed forces of the two countries have concluded a 10-day joint military drill in the dense jungle of northern India. The purpose of the drill is to boost mutual defense cooperation in case of regional security emergency.

This is a mock battle field in the forests of India's northern Uttarakhand state.

For the past 10 days, infantry units from the Russian and Indian military have been exploring the optimal pattern to make the most of their combined combat capabilities.

More than 400 troops from both countries took part in the field drills that witnessed many tactical strategies executed by both armies. It has also been a learning experience for both sides.

J S Arya, Major General, VI Mountain Division, said, "A lot of planning goes into carrying out any military operation. Every country has different languages, equipment and drills. So, when four or five countries meet to have a combined drill, we actually get to learn a lot from each other. So, Russian troops learnt about our good points and we learnt from the Russian troops. "

The primary goal of the exercise has been consistent from the very beginning. That is cross-border defense cooperation to curb regional security threats. Elite combat units from both sides jointly carried out numerous battle drills in the thick jungles simulating actual situations.

The exercise was conducted in three phases to improve the coordination of the two militaries. Special attention was given to cooperation in small teams, the success of which is believed to be imperative to combat terrorism. Both sides agree that regular training of similar nature is necessary.

J S Arya, Major General, VI Mountain Division, said, "We can't predict in which region two countries hold common interest and they might have to operate together. At that moment we can't undergo training. Training has to be done now."

Lauding the results of the joint drill, the Russian Ambassador to India, says Russia and India are united against international extremist forces. He also says Russia wants India to have a strong military.

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