India -Kazakhstan joint military exercise KAZIND -2024 commenced at the mountainous Surya Foreign Training node in Auli, Uttarakhand, on 30 September 2024. The 8th edition of KAZIND-2024 will be held in Auli from 30 September to 13 October 2024.

The last edition of the annual bilateral military exercise was held in Otar, Kazakhstan, from 30 October to 11 November 2023. For the first time, the Air Forces of both countries and the Airborne Assault Forces of Kazakhstan participated.

About KAZIND Military Exercise

The bilateral India-Kazakhstan KAZIND was first held in 2016. It is an annual military exercise held alternately in both countries.

The KAZIND exercise is a battalion-level military exercise that includes personnel from both the Army and the Air Force.

In this year's exercise, the Indian contingent comprises 120 personnel, including a battalion of the Kumaon Regiment of the Indian Army and a contingent of the Indian Air Force personnel.

The Kazakhstan contingent is represented mainly by personnel from its Army and also a contingent of its Airborne Assault Troopers.

Focus of the KAZIND 2024 Exercise

The 8th edition of the KAZIND exercise will focus on counterinsurgency/counterterrorism operations in the mountainous, semi-urban scenario under the United Nations mandate.

Both the military forces will hone their skills in Special Heliborne Operations, Cordon and Search operations, besides employment of drones and counter-drone systems, among others.

The exercise will also increase military-to-military relations between the two armed forces and strengthen the defence ties between the two countries.

India Kazakhstan Defence Ties

India established diplomatic ties with Kazakhstan on 22 February 1992, after it declared independence from the Soviet Union on 16 December 1991.

In July 2015, India and Kazakhstan signed the ‘Defence and Military Technical Cooperation.

The agreement provides for a framework for bilateral cooperation in the defence sector, which includes military-technical cooperation, military education and training, and joint exercises,

In 2018, Kazakhstan troops were deployed under the Indian command for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.