India, Russia to conduct wargames in August

Indian and Russian troops will carry out counter-terrorism drills during joint wargames 'INDRA-2012' close to Russia's boundary with China and Mongolia in August.

India and Russia have been engaging each other in the INDRA series of exercises held between the armies and the navies of the two countries.

The fourth round of the exercises involving the two armies -- Indra 2012 -- will engage over 250 troops from both the sides and will be conducted at a training range in eastern

Russia, close to Mongolia-China border, Army officials said in New Delhi.

The two sides have also decided to make INDRA series of joint army exercises an annual affair which will be held alternatively in India and Russia, they said.

India and Russia have so far conducted three rounds of INDRA exercises. The first exercise was carried out in 2005 in Rajasthan, followed by 'Prshkov' in Russia. The third exercise was conducted at Chaubattia in Kumaon hills in 2010.

The two sides were supposed to hold the exercise last year also but the joint drills were called off by Moscow at the last moment resulting in a gap of one year in 2011.

Since 2003, India and Russia have conducted five of the INDRA-series joint ground and naval exercises. The last such exercise was held between the two countries' army units in India in October 2010.

The naval exercises were also called off last year after Indian warships reached Russian waters which excused itself from the wargames citing the tsunami relief operations in Japan.