New Delhi Apr 15 (Reporter) The Indian Armed Forces contingent on Monday departed for Uzbekistan to participate in the 5th edition of India-Uzbekistan joint military Exercise DUSTLIK, a Defence Ministry statement said. The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 15th to 28th April at Termez in Uzbekistan. Exercise DUSTLIK is a yearly event conducted alternatively in India and Uzbekistan. The last edition was conducted in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand in February 2023. The Indian Armed Forces contingent comprising 60 personnel is represented by 45 personnel from the Indian Army, mostly from the battalion of the JAT Regiment, and 15 personnel from the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Uzbekistan contingent comprising about 100 personnel from Uzbekistan Army and Air Force will be represented by personnel from Southern Operational Command, part of the South-West Military District. The aim of the exercise is to foster military cooperation and enhance combined capabilities to execute joint operations in mountainous as well as semi urban terrain. It would focus on high degree of physical fitness, joint planning, joint tactical drills and basics of special arms skills. Tactical drills to be practiced during the exercise will include creation of a joint command post, establishing an intelligence and surveillance centre, securing of landing site, small team insertion and extraction, special heliborne operations, cordon and search operations, room intervention drills and demolition of illegal structures. The complexity of this edition of DUSTLIK has been enhanced with conduct of multi domain operations as the contingent comprises of personnel from combat support arms and services besides Infantry. Two women officers also form part of the IA contingent, including one from the Regiment of Artillery and another from the Army Medical Corps. Exercise ‘DUSTLIK’ will enable the two sides to share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting joint operations. The exercise will facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers of both the countries. This will also enhance the level of defence cooperation, further fostering bilateral relations between the two friendly nations...////...