18th Edition of Exercise SURYA KIRAN

18th Edition of Exercise SURYA KIRAN

In News:

The 18th edition of Exercise SURYA KIRAN is scheduled to take place from 31st December 2024 to 13th January 2025 at Saljhandi, Nepal. This annual joint military exercise is conducted alternately between India and Nepal.

About Exercise SURYA KIRAN

SURYA KIRAN is a bilateral military exercise designed to strengthen the defense cooperation between India and Nepal. This exercise is conducted annually and alternates between the two countries.

Key Objectives:

1. Enhancing Interoperability:

   • The main focus is to improve interoperability between the Indian and Nepalese armed forces, ensuring smooth coordination and the ability to operate together in diverse military operations.

2. Focus Areas:

   • Jungle Warfare: Training troops to function effectively in jungle environments, which is crucial given the terrain in both countries.

   • Counter-Terrorism Operations: Developing joint strategies and operational tactics for countering terrorist threats, with a focus on practical, real-world challenges.

   • Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR): Working under the framework of the United Nations Charter, the exercise also emphasizes disaster management, humanitarian assistance, and the ability to respond to natural calamities effectively.

3. Other Areas of Focus:

   • Operational Preparedness: Ensuring that both Indian and Nepalese forces are prepared for a variety of scenarios, from conventional warfare to peacekeeping and disaster response.

   • Aviation Aspects: Training related to aviation support for both combat and humanitarian operations.

   • Medical Training: Enhancing the medical capabilities of the forces to deal with both combat injuries and disaster-related casualties.

   • Environmental Conservation: Focusing on environment-friendly practices in military operations, ensuring sustainable and eco-friendly methodologies during operations.

4. Improving Combat Skills:

   • The exercise aims to sharpen the combat skills of both Indian and Nepalese soldiers, helping them function effectively in challenging operational environments.

Significance of the Exercise:

• Strengthening Bilateral Ties: This exercise is a demonstration of the strong defense cooperation between India and Nepal, helping build mutual trust and understanding between the two nations' military forces.

• Operational Coordination: It enhances the ability of Indian and Nepalese forces to coordinate during joint operations, particularly in the fields of counter-terrorism and disaster relief.

• International Peacekeeping: By focusing on operations under the United Nations Charter, the exercise prepares the two nations' forces to participate effectively in UN peacekeeping missions.

Conclusion:

The 18th edition of Exercise SURYA KIRAN will be another milestone in strengthening the defense ties between India and Nepal. The exercise focuses on critical areas like counter-terrorism, jungle warfare, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance. As both countries continue to face security challenges and natural disasters, this joint military exercise will play a vital role in improving their operational readiness and collaboration in various scenarios.