Nepal decides not to join first BIMSTEC Military Exercise in India

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], Sep 8 (ANI): The Nepal Government has confirmed that they will not join the first ever military exercise, which is slated to begin from September 10 in Pune, Maharashtra.

The sources told ANI that Nepal is not joining the BIMSTEC military anti-terror training exercise.

BIMSTEC is a regional construct and it expands as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. As told to ANI, 30 personnel from each country is supposed to participate, which will comprise of five officers and 25 men. This will now not include the soldiers from Nepal.

Defence analyst Major General SB Asthana (Retd) described it to be more due to the anti-India political sentiments within Nepal. He said, "Three observers of Nepal are already in Pune so there was an intent to participate. But, it is due to the local political pressure that this decision has been taken."

There will also be three observers from other countries, except for Nepal at the BIMSTEC military anti-terror training exercise. Indian Army is fielding it's elite 4th Battalion of the 5th Regiment of Gorkhas.

India has been holding counter terror exercises with China which has lines of communication open in Bay of Bengal with the help of Myanmar and here Myanmar is participating.