India-Kyrgyzstan Khanjar Exercise Begins in Assam to Boost Counter-Terror Skills

The joint annual special forces exercise India-Kyrgyzstan Khanjar exercise commenced on Wednesday at Missamari in Assam, with elite troops from both countries participating to enhance cooperation, exchange best practices, and strengthen counter-terrorism capabilities in urban and mountainous environments, the Ministry of Defence said.

According to an official statement, the Indian Army contingent, comprising 20 personnel from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), is participating alongside an equally sized contingent from Kyrgyzstan’s ILBRIS Special Forces Brigade. The exercise is scheduled to be held from February 4 to February 17.

The Ministry of Defence said the focus of the India-Kyrgyzstan Khanjar exercise is on joint training in Counter Terrorism and Special Forces Operations, particularly in urban warfare and mountainous terrain. Troops will also work on honing advanced combat skills, including sniping, complex building intervention, and mountain craft.

Officials said the exercise is designed to facilitate the exchange of operational experience and tactical knowledge between the two forces, while also strengthening defence cooperation and interoperability.

The Ministry noted that Exercise Khanjar will provide an opportunity for both nations to reinforce defence ties and address shared concerns related to international terrorism and extremism, while reaffirming their commitment to peace, stability and security in the region.

Earlier on Wednesday, security forces neutralised two terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district during a joint operation involving the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The encounter took place in the Basantgarh area following a cordon and search operation in Jophar Ramnagar.

The operation, designated Operation Kiya, was carried out by the White Knight Corps, which said the action was based on specific intelligence inputs provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The corps stated that troops of CIF Delta, in coordination with the J&K Police and CRPF, effectively reinforced the cordon and ensured area domination to prevent the escape of terrorists.