MJ Akbar says New Delhi contacted Moscow over joint military drills in Pakistan
NEW DELHI: Indian lawmakers are still discussing the recently-held joint military exercises between the Pakistan Army and the Russian Army, as lawmakers in the upper house of the parliament still asking questions about Russians ‘reported presence’ in areas in Gilgit Baltistan or in Azad Jammu Kashmir.
On September 24, a contingent of Russian ground forces landed in Pakistan for the first ever joint Pak-Russian exercise. Around 200 military personnel of both the countries participated in the drills – a demonstration of closer defence relations between Pakistan and Russia after they signed a military cooperation pact in 2014.
On Thursday, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar in a written reply at the Rajya Sabha said that India has taken up with the Russian government its decision to conduct joint military drills with Pakistan as some reports indicated the joint exercises were to be held in areas of Gilgit Baltistan region or Jammu Kashmir.
“The Russian side clarified that the exercises would not be held in parts of the disputed state,” the minister quoted as saying. “The exercise brings value to both sides,” Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa had said about the joint military exercise Druzhbha-2016 — a Russian word meaning friendship.
On the other hand, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov already confirmed that both Islamabad and Moscow were in talks about the delivery of Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and previously agreed upon delivery of Mi-35M helicopters. Earlier this year, a draft contract for the delivery of four Mi-35M 'Hind E' combat helicopters was sent to Pakistan from Russia, TASS news agency reported.
Increasing military cooperation between Islamabad and Moscow would not negatively impact Russia's ties with India, Ryabkov also said, adding that Pak-Russia ties were improving in other sectors as well – including energy. He referred to Pakistan as Russia's closest partner. "I do not think that the contacts under discussion will cause jealousy on the part of any of the two sides,” he said.
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