ISLAMABAD: Loaded with symbolism, Pakistan and Russia — the erstwhile cold war-era rivals — on Saturday begin their two-week-long military exercises.

The drills being held for the first time by the two countries reflect their deepening military-to-military relations.

A 70-member contingent of commandos from Russia’s Southern MD mountain motorised rifle brigade arrived here on Friday to participate in the special operations war games that would continue until October 10.

The exercises codenamed ‘Druzhbha-2016’ — a Russian word meaning “friendship” — would feature counterterrorism and conventional special operation training sessions.

“The troops will perform assigned tasks in mountains, including the ones aimed at eliminating illegally armed groups,” a Russian defence ministry statement said.

Other joint events being planned

The exercises will be held at Cherat — where the Special Services Group, the commando division of the Pakistan Army, is headquartered and where the Special Operations School is also located — and at the Army High Altitude School in Rattu, Astore district.

“The first joint exercises being held by Pakistan and Russia is a testimony to our improving relations,” military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa said.

He said the drills would help the two militaries share useful experiences and improve coordination.

“The military command of the country’s armed forces and political leadership of the Russian Federation attach great importance to the exercises carried out by the armed forces,” the Russian defence ministry said.

Besides the exercises the two countries have a number of joint events coming up.

Earlier, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov had in a meeting with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Rashad Mahmood said the two countries were planning “an intensive programme” of joint events for 2016, including talks between the two countries’ general staffs and an exchange of military delegations.

The exercises have been made possible by the defence cooperation agreement signed by Pakistan and Russia in November 2014 during the visit of Russian Defence Minis­ter Sergey Shoigu. Defence ties have gradually expanded and now form the bedrock of the Moscow-Islamabad rapprochement.

The war games gained added significance after India advised Russia against holding drills with Pakistan. Importantly, these are being held at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan have climaxed in the aftermath of the Uri terrorist attack. Indian media had been claiming that Moscow had agreed to call off the exercises.

Russia is simultaneously hosting Indian military units for its exercises with India, codenamed ‘Indra-2016’. The India-Russia exercises that began on Thursday would end on Oct 2.

Published in Dawn September 24th, 2016