Druzhba-2016: Pak-Russia’s joint military exercise
Q. Pakistan and Russia have conducted a joint military exercise for the first time in Cherat, Pakistan. What is this exercise called?- Published on 27 Sep 16a. Druzhba-2016
b. Friendship-2016
c. Both a and b mean the same
d. Neither of the above
ANSWER: Druzhba-2016
The first Druzhba (Friendship) 2016 joint military exercise between Pakistan and Russia started on Sept 24, 2016 in Cherat in Pakistan.
- The exercise will conclude on 10th October 2016
- The drills are being conducted at a High Altitude School of the Pak army in Gilgit- Baltistan and special training forces centre in Cherat, Khyber Pakhtunwa
- Close to 200 soldiers from both the nations are taking part in this two week exercise
- Drill involves experiences sharing and aims at developing coordination in carrying out practice combat tasks in a mountainous environment including operations against illegal armed groups
- They are conducting their first ever joint military exercise
- This is a mark of shifting alliances in South Asia
- At the time of the Cold War, Pakistan spent a decade helping the United States funnel arms and fighters into neighbouring Afghanistan to help Mujahideen groups fight Soviet forces following the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan
- Druzhba-2016 is a high altitude drill which demonstrates closer defence ties between Islamabad and Moscow
- Russia and Pakistan also signed a military cooperation pact in 2014
