JAMMU, Sept 26: Indian and British troops are going ahead with their high-altitude wargames in occupied Kashmir despite protests from Pakistan and pro-independence groups, an Indian defence official said on Wednesday. Elite forces from the two countries began training this month for mountain warfare in a three-week drill called ‘Himalayan Warrior’ in the icy heights of Ladakh.

“The two sides have successfully carried out the first and second phase of the exercises and the last phase began on Tuesday,” an Indian military official told Reuters.“These exercises will conclude on Oct 10,” he added.

The troops, which included nearly 120 men from Britain and nearly 140 from India, were training at an altitude of 4,900m to 5,800m and sharing their experiences of battling ‘terrorism’ in Kashmir and Afghanistan, he said.

“The sole objective of this exercise is to improve their endurance and survivability in high-altitude areas and tough climatic conditions,” the officer said.—Reuters