The ISPR said around 200 military personnel of both countries will participate in the two-week exercises.

According to ISPR, a contingent of Russian ground forces arrived in Pakistan for 1st ever Pak-Russian joint exercise (2 weeks) from 24 Sep to 10 Oct 2016.

The military drills will be held from September 24 to October 7 in the Army High Altitude School in Rattu and at a special forces training center in Cherat area.

The Russian Foreign Ministry asserted the exercises aim to strengthen and develop cooperation between armed forces of the two countries.

‘India need not to worry’

The Indian TV channel NDTV quoted senior Russian diplomat as saying that India need not worry about the planned Russia-Pakistan joint military exercises as these drills will not be carried out in disputed areas.

Russia thinks India should not be concerned about upcoming Russia-Pakistan joint military exercises, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s director of the Second Asian Department Zamir Kabulov said.

“We were informed by the Russian Defense Ministry that these exercises will not be carried out in (disputed) areas, and a place was chosen that has nothing to do with this. Hence there is no reason for India to worry about it,” Kabulov was quoted as saying Russia’s state-run Sputnik news agency.

The move comes amidst increasing defence ties between Moscow and Islamabad as the latter was also thinking to buy advanced Russian warplanes.

The joint military drill is seen as another step in growing military-to-military cooperation, indicating a steady growth in bilateral relationship between the two countries.