Indian, Bangladeshi armies begin 11th edition of joint exercise in Meghalaya

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) India and Bangladesh commenced the 11th edition of their annual joint military exercise 'Sampriti' in Meghalaya's Umroi on Tuesday, a statement said.

The exercise, which underscores the importance of enhancing interoperability between the two armies, sharing tactical drills, and promoting best practices, will include a series of joint tactical drills for counter-terrorist operations such as hostage rescue, crowd control measures, and use of helicopters in counter-terrorist operations.

The Defence Ministry said that Sampriti-XI, scheduled for 14 days, will engage approximately 350 personnel from both sides.

The Bangladesh contingent comprises 170 personnel, led by Brigadier General Mohammed Mafizul Islam Rashed, commander of the 52 Infantry Brigade. The lead unit from the Bangladesh Army side is 27 Bangladesh Infantry Regiment.

The Indian contingent mainly comprises troops from a battalion of the Rajput Regiment. Brigadier S.K. Anand, commander of a Mountain Brigade is leading the Indian contingent.

The exercise will also witness participation by personnel from diverse units such as artillery, engineers and other supporting arms and services from both sides, a Defence Ministry official added.

Centred on the conduct of Sub-Conventional Operations as per Chapter VII of the UN mandate, Sampriti-XI will include a command post exercise (CPX) and a field training exercise (FTX), culminating in a validation exercise, official added.

The Ministry official said that 20 officers from each contingent will participate in the CPX, focusing on decision-making after thorough deliberations. This will be followed by FTX wherein grassroots-level operations will be validated. The validation exercise will be conducted on October 14 and 15 in Darranga Field Firing Range, Assam.

During the course of the exercise, the participants will also get to witness the prowess of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Equipment Display.

Sampriti-XI promises to further enhance defence cooperation between India and Bangladesh, fostering deeper bilateral relations, cultural understanding, and mutual benefits from shared experiences in sub-conventional operations, official added.

This exercise, alternatingly organised by both countries, signifies strong bilateral defence cooperation initiatives. With its inception in Assam's Jorhat in 2009, the exercise has witnessed ten successful editions so far.