India, Kyrgyzstan to hold annual joint military exercises

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dwells on need to combat terrorism and extremism, which he calls a threat without borders

Voicing grave concern over the rising trend of extremism and terrorism worldwide, India and Kyrgyzstan on Sunday signed four agreements, including one to boost defence cooperation, and hold annual joint military exercises.

The two countries also agreed to expeditiously consider signing an agreement on “combating international terrorism and other crimes”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived here on Saturday as part of an eight-day six-nation tour to Central Asia, emphasised the need to combat terrorism and extremism, which he described as a threat without borders.

“We both seek a peaceful and secure neighbourhood at a time of challenges in our region,” he said in a joint press meet with President Almazbek Atambayev, after their talks.

Two memoranda of understanding were also signed for cooperation between the election commissions of the two countries and on cooperation in the sphere of standards, a move that will help economic relations.

A joint statement said the Indian side highly appreciated the steps taken by the Kyrgyz government in combating terrorism and in retaining the secular character of Kyrgyz society.

“The two sides agreed to expeditiously consider signing an agreement on ‘combating international terrorism and other crimes’,” the statement said. The prime minister said his visit to all five countries in the region “demonstrates the importance that we attach to a new level of relationship with Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is a key part of that vision”.

Noting bilateral defence ties are strong, he said a joint exercise Khanjar 2015 has just been completed.

“We have decided to hold joint military exercises on an annual basis,” he said.

Modi said the new agreement on defence cooperation would provide a “framework to broaden bilateral engagement”, which would also include defence technology.

The defence agreement signed is aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation in defence, security, military education and training.

It also envisages conduct of joint military exercises, exchange of experience and information, and exchange of military observers and instructors besides others.