Joint Indo-US military exercise to counter terrorism

New Delhi, July 24 : Indian and the United States army will undertake joint manoeuvres on counter-terrorism in Mizoram from next month.

Operation Vajraprahar will be the fourth round of joint exercises between the special forces of the two countries.

Earlier, Indian and American forces have held similar complex battle manoeuvres in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir and in the Alaskan mountains in the US.

A batch of 30 American special forces personnel would be arriving here on August 2 to take part in the exercise, which would be held in the specialised counter-insurgency ranges of the army's famous Vairangte-based Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School.

The land manoeuvres will coincide with frontline Indian Air Force Su-30 fighters taking part in the world's most advanced Red Flag air exercises with NATO warplanes.

"The Indo-US special forces manoeuvres are reaching a advanced stage of jointmanship on the theme of tackling terrorism," a senior army officer said.

The focus of the forthcoming exercises would be on tackling terrorism in urban landscape, with the US forces drawing upon their experience in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Indian forces on their expertise in Jammu and Kashmir.

Four officers and 26 men drawn from the Indian special forces would participate, army official said.

ANI