Image Credit: Heinrich Böll Stiftung from Berlin, Deutschland via Creative Common
In the backdrop of perpetual state of Pakistan-India conflict, it might sound unbelievable but the two South Asian nuclear-armed countries will be jointly conducting military exercises this year under the umbrella of Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
For South Asians it would be a pleasant change in August – the month of independence from Britain for both nations – when eight SCO member countries including Pakistan, India, Russia and China will conduct joint military exercises in Ural, a mountainous region of Russia.
These exercises are part of the SCO’s Peace Mission 2018 with a primary focus on counterterrorism operations.
Although, Pakistan and India will conduct this military drill as part of a larger multinational military exercise, it will be for the first time in their 70 years history that the two militaries would take part in joint counterterrorism exercises.
Kashmir Map by CIA being used via Wikimedia Commons
Previously, Pakistani and Indian troops have participated together as members of various United Nations peacekeeping missions in the past.
Terrorism is a big issue in South Asia. Pakistan has accused India of fomenting terrorist attacks in the strategic Balochistan province and also charges that New Delhi continues to perpetrate state terrorism in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region.
India, on the other side, accuses Pakistan of backing militancy in Kashmir. New Delhi has also charged a Pakistani militant organization LeT of being behind December 2008 Mumbai bombings.
The tensions between the two countries have seen the two militaries exchange fire along the Line of Control in Kashmir.
The SCO holds such exercises once every two years and peace mission 2018 will be the fifth edition.The last time, it was held in 2016 in Kyrgyzstan.
