India’s Ministry of Defense announced this week that it has begun a joint military exercise with Saudi Arabia dubbed “Sada Tansikh” (“Forever Together”). The period is scheduled to run until February 10th.
This event marks the first time that Saudi and Indian militaries will be joining forces.
India is hosting the exercise in the northern state of Rajasthan, which borders Pakistan. host A military complex used for training in desert areas. The exercises are small.Ministry of Defense of India said Each country is sending 45 soldiers each from the Saudi Army and the Indian Army. Although the two countries have conducted naval exercises in the past, ‘Sada Tansikh’ represents a significant increase in defense cooperation, with Riyadh and New Delhi dramatically expanding their friendship beyond economic and technical cooperation. It shows what you are trying to do.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) shakes hands with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as they arrive at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center for the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, on September 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Saudi Arabia has traditionally maintained friendly relations with Pakistan, India’s biggest geopolitical ally, because both countries are Islamic theocratic states ruled by Pakistan. Sharia. Dramatic increase in Indian immigrant population in Saudi Arabia, now Estimation The Indian nation of 2.6 million people has at times been a source of tension, with allegations of enslavement of Indian nationals and heinous abuse of domestic workers and laborers emerging.
However, under the rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto ruler, the two countries have expanded technical cooperation and engaged in joint diplomacy, even though the elderly King Salman officially holds the title. activities, and has sought to conclude trade agreements. The two countries are now officially allies under the framework of BRICS, a global association named after its founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Saudi Arabia will become one of five countries to join BRICS in 2024, along with Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Ethiopia.
Sada Tansikh’s official statement said the purpose of the operation was to give countries the opportunity to “share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for conducting operations in semi-conventional areas.”
“This exercise will provide an opportunity for the forces of both sides to strengthen ties. It will serve as a platform for
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Indian outlet “First Post” I got it. The Saudi exercise followed a similar incident in December when Indian troops trained with troops from the UAE, another new BRICS member, in the state of Rajasthan, the sources said.
“The presence of Saudi Arabian troops in India sends a clear message to the Muslim world that New Delhi has the confidence of West Asian countries,” First Post concluded, adding that Saudi Arabia is on the verge of an exodus to India and a move away from India. from Pakistan, he added, is starting to see “obvious changes” in the country.
The training appears to be the result of talks between Mohammed bin Salman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to New Delhi in September. The crown prince visited India for the G20 summit, but stayed another day to meet with Indian officials. The two leaders reportedly devoted much of their discussion to cooperation on oil refining.of Hindustan Times report At the time, Saudi Arabia was planning to invest $100 billion in India’s extensive oil refining capacity. However, he added that defense was one of the topics on the summit’s agenda.
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister of India @narendramodi Signing of the minutes of the Strategic Partnership Council between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of India. pic.twitter.com/INtpQQGeKj
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs🇸 (@KSAmofaEN) September 11, 2023
In early 2023, officials from both countries held According to Arab News, a news outlet in the region, a meeting was held to discuss the possibility of joint construction of an undersea cable aimed at connecting the power grids of Saudi Arabia and India, with a view to similar infrastructure initiatives. reported that the UAE is also participating in talks with India.
Strengthening ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia could help boost India’s influence in the BRICS, which is notable for its rocky relationship with nominal ally China. India and China have had territorial disputes along their respective borders for years, which finally escalated into a deadly military conflict in June 2020. The appearance of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers on Indian soil led to clashes in which about 1 man was reportedly killed.20 Indian soldiers, at least twice as many as the PLA. China has acknowledged only four deaths in the exchange. The fighting in the Galwan Valley in India’s Ladakh state in the Himalayas is a major international embarrassment for the Chinese military and continues to prevent India and China from fully accepting their mutual presence in the BRICS.
India has also launched a program called ‘Make in India’ aimed at attracting foreign investment into Indian manufacturing, directly challenging China’s dominance as a manufacturing powerhouse. . ‘Make in India’ was given a big boost by China’s ‘zero corona’ policy, which forced factories into endless and disastrous lockdowns, severely impacting productivity. China’s two largest manufacturers, Apple and its supplier Foxconn, have terminated contracts with India to increase their presence in the country due to the pandemic.
