Kavkaz 2020: All you should know about the military exercise, India will attend on Russia’s invite

New Delhi, Aug 25: India's tri-services contingent of around 200 personnel to take part in a multi-lateral Kavkaz-2020 exercise in Southern Russia in September along with troops of China and Pakistan and several other countries.

KavKaz 2020 will take place on 15-26 September at Donguz training ranges in Russia's Orenburg.

Reports say that the Indian contingent might include 160 personnel from the army, along with 40 troops of the Indian Air Force and two Navy officers for the observers there.

The exercise is being held in the Astrakhan province of Southern Russia where member countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and Central Asian countries would be participating.

Notably, India had earlier participated in this exercise with both China and Pakistan as part of it.

Along with these four countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Belarus, Turkey, Armenia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are set to take part in Kavkaz 2020.

The Russian Embassy in India has tweeted that almost a month before the Kavkaz 2020 kicks off, "VI international military forum Army-2020 - first major defence expo this year - opened near Moscow. 1,500 companies, over 28,000 pieces of hardware and weaponry, 18 foreign delegations. Indian delegation is led by Raj Kumar, Secretary, Defence Production in India. Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Raj Kumar and Ambassador inaugurated the India Pavilion at #Army2020 outside Moscow and visited other pavilions showcased at the exhibition, including #IndiaRussia #Brahmos JV pavilion."

Russian KavKaz 2020 is strategic command-post exercise, which can be called war games.

The word Kavkaz is derived as a modern variant of Caucasus or Caucasia, a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea and mainly occupied by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and southwestern Russia.

Notably, in June, India and China also participated in the Victory Day Parade at Red Square in Moscow to mark the 75th anniversary of World War II amid escalating border-tension situation on Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was present there along with the Chinese counterpart.