India, Russia counter-terrorism exercise in August

New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) India and Russia are readying to hold their annual joint counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency army war game in August this year in Buryatia in southeast Russia.

The exercise, to be called Indra-2012, will witness about 250 troops from each side matching their skills and understanding each other's standard operating procedures in exercises to eliminate terrorists and insurgents, according to officers in the Indian Army headquarters.

The war game will take place at a training area in Buryatia, which falls under the Russian Army's Eastern Command.

The last Indra exercise was held in India's Uttarakhand state in October 2010, when about 250 troops from each side carried out manoeuvres in the garrison town of Chaubatia near hill resort Ranikhet.

Indian Army troops will get acquainted with Russian military equipment during exercise in the first stage, after which they will get to participate in joint tasks to get trained in standard operating procedures. Later, the two sides will carry out a synchronised counter-terrorism operations.