India and Kazakhstan begin KAZIND-2026 joint military exercises

A 60-member Indian Armed Forces contingent has departed for Oskemen, Kazakhstan, to participate in the ninth edition of the joint military exercise, KAZIND-2026. The exercise, scheduled from September 28 to October 11, involves personnel from the Indian Air Force and a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, alongside matching contingents from the Kazakhstan Armed Forces.

The drills focus on enhancing interoperability for joint counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate. Training activities include raids, search-and-destroy missions, cordon-and-search operations, and special heliborne operations.

Technical aspects of the exercise will emphasize air mobility, the integrated use of Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Counter-UAS capabilities. To facilitate coordinated planning, the forces will establish a Joint Command Post and an Intelligence and Surveillance Centre, culminating in a validation exercise against simulated terrorist threats.