Indian and Sri Lanka armies hold joint military exercise

Reuters: STORY: Indian and Sri Lankan armies on Friday (13 October) held a joint military exercise in India’s western Pune city to enhance military co-operation and interoperability.

The 13-day joint exercise, ‘Mitra Shakti 2017’, is the fifth edition of the joint exercise between the armies of the two countries, with the last edition being held in Sri Lanka in 2016.

Troops from India showcased unarmed combat and performed Khukri dance while their Sri Lankan counterparts carried out the Udarata Narthanaya, a traditional art form from Colombo.

Brigadier Ajith Pallawela, who presided over the event, said the exercise was aimed at building cooperation and enhancing operational methods between the militaries of the two nations to counter militancy and insurgency within their boundaries.

The training exercise is a key initiative in India’s response to China’s growing influence around Southern Asia and the Indian Ocean region.

The series of training exercises, which was started in 2012, will be end on 25 October.