Barely three months after the Indian and Sri Lankan armies launched the 10th ‘Mitra Shakti’ exercise, officials said the event wrapped up on Sunday at the Army Training School in Sri Lanka’s Maduruoya.
The platoon commanders’ exercise, which started on August 12 and lasted for two weeks, was conducted to boost military cooperation and military-to-military interaction and to ensure that both forces can effectively work together if and when they are required to launch combined operations.
“The training was done in order to ensure that the two armies can work hand in hand in the event that they are required to do so,”
Said one of the officials.
”It has enabled both sides to understand each other’s doctrinal beliefs, operational strategies, and processes towards developing drills while conducting counter-terrorism, regional security, and peace support operations. ”
The ‘Mitra Shakti’ exercise this year involved more than 100 personnel of the Indian and Sri Lankan armies. “The dynamic exercise led to improvement in operational engagement between the Indian and Sri Lankan Army, especially in dealing with urban extremism and, as such, increasing cooperation between the two Armies,” the Indian Army posted on X on Saturday.
The troops performed tactical exercises, field training, and live firing activities, focusing on operations in built-up areas, counter-insurgency, and convoy protection.
“Some of the exercises were aspects like urban warfare, counter-insurgency operations, operating in an urban environment, convoy protection and more,”
explained another official.
The exercise also embraced combined planning and operations conduct, which allowed the two armies to share experience and enhance the implementation of effective operations.
These drills are a perfect opportunity for both countries to apply for unified cooperation toward common threats, for instance, maritime security, anti-terrorism, and disaster response,” the first official added.
The ‘Mitra Shakti exercise’s successful conclusion is thus a testimony to the fact that India and Sri Lanka have a mutual understanding of increasing military cooperation and improving security in the region.
