Russia scores as Indian, Chinese soldiers set to war-game in COVID-hit 'Kavkaz 20'

Even as India finds itself in a confrontation with China on its borders, its armed forces will carry out drills with Chinese military next month in Russia. An Indian military contingent will take part in "Kavkaz 2020" ("Caucasus 2020"), a strategic command-post exercise in September. Notably, India had earlier participated in this exercise with both China and Pakistan as part of it, writes Senior journalist Sanjib Kr Baruah.

New Delhi: In a brownie score for Russian geopolitical strategy, Indian and Chinese soldiers will again join hands to fight off a mock terrorist attack in Russia’s Astrakhan region from September 15-27 in ‘Kavkaz 20’ (Caucasus-20), a multilateral tri-services exercise hosted by the Russian military.

Nothing extraordinary, except that the two Asian giants India and China are engaged in a huge military mobilization effort with about 100,000 troops deployed besides military equipment and air force assets and are currently facing off each other along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) due to the escalation of a border row that sparked in April-May.

The fact that both India and China have expressed willingness to participate in Kavkaz-2020 is indicative of Russia's proximity to both of the Asian giants. It will also enhance Russia's prestige at a time when both India and China have turned down US President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between the two.

With all existing mechanisms of deliberation between the two countries having been tried without any signs of a breakthrough till now, the faceoff is expected to continue well into the harsh Himalayan winter and be prolonged.

Other than the tense India-China relations, ‘Kavkaz 20’ will be a near-repeat of the exercise ‘Tsentr-2019’ (Centre-2019) that began on September 16, 2019, when Indian, Chinese and Pakistani soldiers, among others, took part in counter-terror exercises against a mock common enemy.

“The biggest Indian representation will be from the Army’s Dogra Regiment. In total, about 180 Indian troops and observers including from the Army, IAF and Navy are to take part,” said a military source familiar with the development.

Like in 2018 and 2019, China’s PLA is expected to send a big contingent to the exercise.

But the total number of troops to take part in the exercise is far less than last year.

With COVID-19 making a deep dent, only about 13,000 troops will participate in ‘Kavkaz 20’. Last year, about 128,000 troops, 20,000 pieces of military equipment, 600 aircraft and 15 ships had participated in ‘Tsentr-2019’.

“Strict COVID-19 protocols are being followed by the Indian contingent, both before emplaning and deplaning for the exercise area,” the source added.

Russia holds four major exercises every four years, one exercise a year corresponding to its military districts on a rotation basis—Vostok (East), Zapad (West), Tsentr (Centre), and Kavkaz (South). So Ex Kavkaz was last held in 2012 and 2016.

Initially limited to just the Russian armed forces, many nations take part in these exercises nowadays.

About 20 countries are expected to take part in ‘Kavkaz 20’ including all the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members which include India, China and Pakistan.