Indian troops depart for multilateral military exercise in Russia

New Delhi, Sep 9: An Indian Armed Forces contingent of 65 personnel left today for Russia to take part in the multilateral joint military exercise ZAPAD 2025, scheduled at the Mulino Training Ground in Nizhniy from September 10 to 16.

The contingent includes 57 soldiers from the Indian Army, seven from the Indian Air Force, and one from the Indian Navy. The Army group is led by a battalion of the Kumaon Regiment, supported by troops from other arms and services.

Exercise ZAPAD 2025 aims to boost military cooperation, enhance interoperability and provide a platform for participating nations to share tactics, techniques and procedures in conventional warfare and counter-terrorism operations. The drills will focus on company-level operations in open terrain, covering joint planning, tactical exercises and specialised skills. The exercise will also allow participants to test emerging technologies and operate in a multinational combat environment. The Ministry of Defence said India’s participation will further deepen defence ties with Russia and foster greater camaraderie among partner nations.