EXERCISE DUSTLIK-VI:
The 6th edition of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-VI officially commenced on 16 April 2025 at the Foreign Training Node, Aundh (Pune).
- Exercise DUSTLIK is an annual bilateral military exercise conducted alternatively in India and Uzbekistan, with the previous edition (DUSTLIK-V) held in Termez District, Uzbekistan in April 2024.
- The first edition was held in November 2019 in Uzbekistan, marking the beginning of a structured defence partnership.
- The Indian contingent consists of 60 personnel, including troops from a battalion of the JAT Regiment and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
- The Uzbekistan contingent is represented by troops from the Uzbekistan Army, reflecting their ongoing military cooperation with India.
- The central theme of DUSTLIK-VI is “Joint Multi-Domain Sub-Conventional Operations in a Semi-Urban Scenario”.
- The exercise simulates response mechanisms to terrorist activities, specifically territorial capture by hostile forces, with coordinated joint battalion-level operations.
