Indian Army Contingent to leave for Sri Lanka for joint exercise

A Joint military exercise between the Indian and the Sri Lankan army will take place on 25th March. The drill is aimed to improve diplomatic relation between the two nations.

New Delhi: An Indian Army contingent is all set to leave for Sri Lanka on 25th March for 'Mitra Shakti,' a joint military exercise with the Sri Lankan army.

Mitra Shakti is amilitary diplomacy exercise which is conducted every year between the armed forces of both nations. The drill will be held from 26th March to 8th April in Sri Lanka.

The exercise is aimed to "build and promote close relations between armies of both the countries and to enhance theability of joint exercise commander to take military contingents of both nations under command," said a statement by the Ministry of Defence

It also stated that the exercise would involve practice in tactical operations in International Counter Insurgency/Counter Terrorist environment under UN mandate.

Further, the Indian Army has decided to send its 1st Battalion the Bihar Regiment (Batalik).The contingent will be led by Colonel Parthasarathy Roy who is Batalik's commanding officer.