Updated By: LatestGKGS Desk
First military exercise 'MILEX-18' of BIMSTEC countries held in Pune
First military exercise 'MILEX-18' of BIMSTEC countries held in Pune: Theme, Details, Aim, Highlights
The first field training military exercise 'MILEX-18', as part of the Bay of Bengal initiative for multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation (BIMSTEC) commenced at Foreign Training Node at Aundh in Pune, Maharashtra.
The BIMSTEC's MILEX-18 military exercise was scheduled to be held from 10th September 2018 to 16th September 2018.
All member BIMSTEC countries, except Thailand and Nepal, will take an active part in the 'MILEX-18' exercise. Thailand and Nepal have only sent a group of observers.
The theme of the 'MILEX-18' exercise is 'counter-terrorism in semi-urban terrain'. Its main aim is to promote strategic alignment among member-states and to share best practices in the area of counter-terrorism.
The MILEX-18 exercise included training in operations like search-and-cordon operations, search and destroy and handling and neutralisation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) among other things.
Each participating member country will be represented by platoon-sized contingents including around 30 soldiers (including five officers, 25 Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and personnel of other ranks).
As part of the MILEX-18 exercise, a conclave of Army chiefs of all seven member-states is also being planned. In it, army chiefs will debate challenge of terrorism and transnational crime, which is a major concern among all states and discuss ways to promote collective cooperation.
