14-day 'Surya-Kiran 15' begins in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh

A 14-day joint military exercise 'Surya-Kiran 15' of India and Nepal began on Monday in the frontier district of Pithoragarh.

A battalion of the Nepal Army and a battalion of Garhwal Regiment from India are participating in the 15th edition of the exercise.

Today, more than 650 soldiers from both countries gathered at the Friendship Ground of the Army here.

The main objective of the 15th joint military exercise between the countries of India and Nepal is to establish military relations in inaccessible mountainous areas by the soldiers of both countries, as well as to provide humanitarian assistance under disaster management and to get training in anti-terrorist operations.

"Every year there is a battalion exercise. One year it is in Nepal and, one year it is held in India. It is an exercise, in which we will establish military relations between the two countries. To provide training in counter-terrorism and to provide humanitarian assistance, medical evacuation under disaster management, we will be conducting this exercise," LT General S S Mahal, VSM.

( With inputs from ANI )