NEW DELHI - India and Russia held joint military exercises in the deserts of Rajasthan, near the Pakistani border.
The manoeuvres were named Exercise GangNeva, from the River Ganges of India and the River Neva of Russia, Indian media reported on Sunday.
Russian soldiers used T-72 tanks and infantry combat vehicles, also known as the BMP, which were originally made in Russia and currently used by the Indian Army.
Russian army’s Lt-Gen Alexey V Zovizion and India’s General Officer Commanding, 10 Corps Lt-Gen NS Ghei oversaw the exercises.
Exercise GangNeva, saw both Indian and Russian mechanised troops capture a notional rebel strong point by fire assault of attack helicopters, tanks and BMPs.
Meanwhile, as part of preparations to meet challenges from China and Pakistan, India is planning to lay 14 strategic railway lines close to borders with these two countries to help in easier and faster movement of troops.
According to PTI, the railway lines are besides 73 roads being constructed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Out of the 14 planned railway lines, survey has been completed for 12.
The railway lines have been planned in Occupied Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan.
Of the 73 roads with a total length of 3812 km, laying of 61 roads covering 3,404 km have been assigned to Border Roads Organisation (BRO). 27 of the 61 roads are being constructed in Arunachal Pradesh, 12 in Held Kashmir, 14 in Uttarakhand, five in Himachal Pradesh and three in Sikkim.
The infrastructure development is being carried out as China has made strides in this regard and India is lagging much behind.
Indian Defence Minister AK Antony conceded in Parliament last month that China is "superior" in terms of border infrastructure as India was late in deciding on building roads and other capabilities near the LAC because of the impact of the 1962 war. He had described it as a "collective failure" of all the successive governments.
INDIA HANDED OVER 26/11
DOCUMENTS TO PAKISTAN
India handed over to Pakistan five key documents running into nearly 600 pages for use in the 26/11 case in that country to proceed against seven key accused.
The documents include the true copy of the Indian Supreme Court judgement of the Mumbai attack case, deposition by two doctors who conducted the postmortem of slain nine terrorists and the chief investigating officer who probed the case and summons to the witnesses.
The two other documents are proceedings of the Pakistan Judicial Commission, which visited Mumbai last month, before additional chief metropolitan magistrate and application for producing the recovered articles from terrorist by the senior public prosecutor from Pakistan, before the additional chief metropolitan magistrate.
New Delhi had said it was incumbent on Pakistan to present the evidence in 26/11 attacks as the planning, training of the terrorists responsible for the strikes and also the financing was done in that country and therefore, "99 per cent" of evidence will be available there.
The strong reaction came after Pakistan Foreign Office said that it requires more evidence to move ahead in the Mumbai attack case in that country.
These documents were authenticated copies of the deposition and cross examination by the second Pakistan Judicial Commission. The documents were handed over to the Pakistan High Commission on October 15.
Five key documents handed over to Pakistan in 26/11 case:
The eight-member Pakistani judicial commission, which included prosecutors and defence lawyers, had visited Mumbai in September and was allowed to cross examine the witnesses.
The panel's visit came after the Pakistani court dealing with the 26/11 case had said that material collected by the commission during its first visit to India in March 2012 had no "evidential value" to punish those involved in the Mumbai attack as they were not allowed to cross examine the witnesses.
Lakhvi and six LeT operatives are key accused in the case. They are lodged in the Rawalpindi jail where the trial by the special court has been marred by delays.