DUSTLIK Exercise

• 24 Mar 2022

Why in News?

The 3^rd edition of joint training exercise between Indian and Uzbekistan armies, EX-DUSTLIK is being conducted at Yangiarik, Uzbekistan from 22^nd to 31^st March 2022.

What is the DUSTLIK Exercise?

• About:
  
  • The exercise would focus on Counter Terrorism operations in semi-urban terrain under a United Nations Mandate.
    
    • The Grenadiers battalion is nominated for the exercise. The battalion is one of the highly decorated battalions of the Indian Army.
  • The training schedule will focus primarily on sharing tactical level drills and learning of best practices from each other.
  • It aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between two armies.
    
    • The last edition of DUSTLIK was conducted in Ranikhet (Uttarakhand) in March 2021.
• Significance:
  
  • Uzbekistan is important to India for security and connectivity to the Central Asian Region and also Iran, it is also one alternative India has with respect to Afghanistan.
    
    • Security concerns stemming from the conflict in Afghanistan is one of the major challenges for India’s involvement in Central Asia.

What are the other Joint military Exercises of India with Other Countries?

Source: PIB