Indian Air Warriors in Russia for joint war games
12 Sep 2007
India''s counter-terrorism special combat forces and an IAF contingent are in Russia for war games with Russian forces, which started on 11 September. During the 10-day exercise, Indian and Russian special airborne forces will carry out mock anti-terrorist strikes at the elite Russian first airborne division located at Pskov, near St Petersburg.
The IAF contingent comprises an IL-76 medium lift transport aircraft and the 29 Air Warriors led by Group Captain SRK Nair. They will carry out a personnel para-drop and practice free-fall parajumping techniques with highly experienced Russian paratroopers.
"The exercise is very important for the IAF, as it would give a chance to our air warriors to familiarise themselves with Russian anti-terrorism doctrine," an IAF spokesman said. The exercise is code-named ''Indra-2007'' and is the second in the series between the two countries.
Russian
troops had earlier come to India in 2005, to participate in joint war games in
the Thar desert.