Army contingent leaves for joint exercise in Indonesia

New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) An Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel departed for Cijantung, Jakarta, Indonesia to take part in the 9th edition of India-Indonesia Joint Special Forces Exercise Garud Shakti 24.

The exercise will be conducted from November 1 to 2, a statement said on Friday.

The Indian contingent is being represented by troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and an Indonesian contingent comprising 40 personnel is being represented by Indonesian Special Forces Kopassus, the statement said.

The aim of Garud Shakti 24 is to acquaint both sides with each other’s operating procedures and enhance mutual understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies.

The exercise is designed to develop bilateral military cooperation and strengthen the bond between two armies through the conduct of discussions and rehearsal of tactical military drills.

The exercise will involve planning and execution of special operations, orientation to advance special forces skills, and sharing of information on weapons, equipment, innovations, tactics, techniques and procedures, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Joint Exercise Garud Shakti 24 will also involve jointly practising Special Forces Operations in jungle terrain, strikes on terrorist camps and a Validation Exercise integrating basic and advanced special forces skills apart from gaining an insight into the lifestyle and culture of both countries to foster military cooperation.

The exercise will provide an opportunity for both contingents to strengthen their bond and share best practices. It will also act as a platform to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations.

In September, the Indian Army held a joint military exercise with the US forces in Rajasthan. The 20th edition of the 'Yudh Abhyas 2024' was held at Mahajan Fields in Rajasthan's Bikaner from September 9 to 22.

It was the biggest joint military exercise between India and America with 1,200 soldiers from India and America participating.

The Indian Army contingent, comprising 600 personnel, was represented by a Battalion of the Rajput Regiment and personnel from other arms and services.

The US contingent comprising similar strength was represented by the troops of 1-24 Battalion of the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division of the US Army.

The aim of the Joint Exercise was to enhance the joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate. The exercise focused on operations in the semi-desert environment, an Indian Army official said.

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