Bhubaneswar: The 13th edition of the India–Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise KHANJAR commenced on February 4 at Missamari, Assam, and will continue until February 17, 2026.
Exercise KHANJAR is an annual bilateral training event, conducted alternately in India and Kyrgyzstan. The previous edition of the exercise was held in Kyrgyzstan in March 2025.
The Indian Army contingent, comprising 20 personnel, is represented by troops from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces). The Kyrgyzstan Armed Forces are represented by an equal-strength contingent from the ILBRIS Special Forces Brigade.
The primary objective of the exercise is to exchange best practices and operational experiences in counter-terrorism and special forces operations, particularly in urban and mountainous terrain. The training will focus on enhancing advanced skills such as sniping, complex building intervention, close-quarter battle techniques, and mountain craft.
Officials said the exercise aims to improve interoperability, tactical coordination, and mutual understanding between the two Special Forces units, while also strengthening defence cooperation and strategic ties between India and Kyrgyzstan.
-OdishaAge
