Armed forces of Pakistan and India may cross paths in a joint military exercise in Russia this year after the top defence official in New Delhi confirmed her country's participation in the multi-nation military exercise, reported The Tribune.
The Peace Mission 2018, an initiative aimed at combating terrorism, is part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). As many as eight countries have confirmed participation in the military drills.
India's defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at the India will participate strongly in SCO's Peace Mission joint military exercises, reported The Economic Times.
"We believe that cooperation in SCO framework will help further strengthen India's bilateral defence ties in the region," she told the SCO Council of Defence Ministers' meeting.
Pakistan's Ambassador to Russia Kazi Khalilullah had confirmed his the country's participation in February.
“I understand that the exercise ‘Peace Mission-2018’ is being conducted under the auspices of the SCO, Pakistan attaches importance to SCO events, and we took part in the first round of expert talks related to the exercises, which were held in Yekaterinburg in November 2017. We intend to participate in the exercises this year,” he told RIA Novosti.
