India, Uzbekistan hold joint military drill DUSTLIK-07
NewDelhi: DUSTLIK-07, the seventh joint military exercise between India and Uzbekistan, is now being conducted at the Gurumsaray Field Training Area in Namangan, representing an important milestone in building defence cooperation between the two nations.
DUSTLIK-07, scheduled to run for 14 days from April 12 to April 25, brings together contingents from the armed forces of both nations for joint exercises.
Exercise DUSTLIK is a military training exercise that takes place annually between India and Uzbekistan alternately. This previous edition took place in April 2025 at Foreign Training Node, Aundh, Pune. The exercise is geared towards improving military relations between the two countries.
The annual exercise, conducted alternately between India and Uzbekistan, seeks to promote interoperability and coordination, besides manual understanding between the two militaries. The exercise set for 2026 assumes significance amid growing strategic synergy and defence cooperation between New Delhi and Tashkent, particularly in addressing regional security challenges.
The Indian contingent comprises of about 60 participants, including 45 troops from the Indian Army, primarily from a battalion of the MAHAR Regiment, and 15 personnel from the Indian Air Force. The Uzbekistan side is also represented by approximately 60 personnel from both its Army and Air Force.
The balanced participation highlights the collaborative nature of the exercise as well as an emphasis on cooperative planning and execution.
DUSTLIK 2026 exercise will concentrate on the improvement of joint capabilities in a semi-mountainous environment, and will involve elements such as physical fitness, tactical exercises, and combat training. The training sessions will include land navigation, conducting strike missions against enemy locations, and securing hostile territories.
An important feature of the exercise will be its 48-hour validation phase, when participating forces will conduct integrated manoeuvres aimed at dealing with threats from unlawful armed groups in the form of simulations. It is expected that the validation exercise will evaluate the effectiveness of combined commands and smooth coordination between forces in challenging situation.
In addition to the tactical objectives, the exercise will allow the building of camaraderie among the forces and exchange of best practices on tactics and techniques. Officials note that such interactions are beneficial not only for military needs but also for the development of relations between countries.
Continuous training exercises further reaffirm the dedication of both nations to increasing defence collaboration and developing robust mechanisms for joint response to emerging security challenges.
(DD News)
