India, Bangladesh begin joint military exercise

India and Bangladesh on Sunday began a two-week-long joint military exercise in Tangail, Bangladesh, to hone their tactical and technical skills to counter insurgency and terrorism.

"The eighth edition of the exercise "Sampriti" started at the Bongobondhu Cantonment, Tangail, Bangladesh, with an impressive opening ceremony on March 3. The participating contingents stood side by side and gave a ceremonial salute to the national flags of both the countries to the strains of 'Jana Gana Mana' and 'Amar Shonar Bangla'," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The Bangladesh contingent was represented by the 36 East Bengal Battalion, while the Indian side was represented by the 9th Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles.

"The aim of the exercise is to increase mutual cooperation, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies through inter-operability and joint tactical exercises," read the government statement.

A company group from the Bangladesh Army and an equal number from the Indian Army are taking part in the exercise that will see them hone tactical and technical skills in countering insurgency and terrorism and aid the civil authorities in disaster management in an United Nations peace keeping scenario, involving combined deployment at a battalion level.

The exercise, which was started in 2009 with a platoon level engagement, graduated to the company level in 2015.

--IANS

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