Don’t wish to perform with Pak, Chinese infantrymen: India withdraws from multilateral army workout in Russia

NEW DELHI: India on Saturday withdrew from a multilateral army exercise — Kavkaz-2020 — that was once scheduled to be held in southern Russia next month as it didn't need to carry out drills with Pakistani and Chinese infantrymen, Indian media reported.

The resolution used to be taken after a high-level military and diplomatic meeting, assets within the defence and safety established order stated.

The exercise is to be held in the Astrakhan province of southern Russia between 15 and 27 September, and other contributors include Pakistan, among other participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an intergovernmental organisation comprising eight Asian countries.

India had planned to ship 200 army body of workers, including 180 squaddies from an infantry battalion and observers from the IAF and the Navy, to participate in the exercise, also known as Caucasus-20.

Sources in the Indian defence and security establishment mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic and the prospect of doing military drills with Chinese and Pakistani infantrymen within the multilateral exercise proved “the tilting point” in India’s choice to withdraw.