TASHKENT 

Uzbekistan and India started a military exercise to boost military cooperation between the two countries, Uzbek Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the ministry said the exercise named Dustlik-2023 (Friendship-2023), which is held in the Uttarakhand region of northern India, started with the participation of 45 Uzbek servicemen.

At the launch ceremony, India's 32nd Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Mayank Vaid said that the joint exercise would contribute to the further development of military cooperation between the two countries, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Shavkat Sarmonkulov, an official from the Uzbek Defense Ministry, said that cooperation between Tashkent and New Delhi in the military field is gradually developing, according to the statement.

The joint exercise will continue until March 5, during which both countries will work on search-and-destroy efforts against terrorist groups, overcoming mountain barriers, and combat skills in mountainous forests.

The Uzbek and Indian forces have held three joint military exercises since 2019, the statement noted.

*Writing by Burc Eruygur in Istanbul