Namangan, Uzbekistan — The seventh India‑Uzbekistan joint military exercise, named Dustlik, wrapped up on April 24 at the Gurumsaray Field Training Area in Namangan, the Indian Army said in a post on X. The weeklong drills concluded with a final validation exercise followed by a closing ceremony.
About 60 personnel made up the Indian contingent, which left for Uzbekistan on April 12. That team included roughly 45 soldiers from the Indian Army — primarily a battalion of the MAHAR Regiment — and 15 members of the Indian Air Force. The Uzbekistan side fielded a similar-strength contingent of about 60 personnel drawn from its Army and Air Force.
Organizers said Exercise Dustlik focused on strengthening bilateral military cooperation and developing combined capabilities for joint operations in semi‑mountainous terrain. Training priorities included improving physical fitness, joint operational planning, coordinated tactical drills and specialist weapons skills. The two sides also worked to establish a unified operational algorithm linking their command‑and‑control structures to enhance interoperability.
Key activities practiced during the exercise included land navigation, strike missions against simulated enemy bases and the seizure of territory held by hostile forces. Teams exchanged counter‑terrorism techniques and familiarized themselves with each other’s operational procedures, allowing Indian and Uzbek forces to share experiences and best practices.
The training culminated in a 48‑hour validation exercise that tested tactical coordination for combined operations, with an emphasis on preparing and executing joint special operations to neutralize unlawful armed groups. The Indian Army said the drills enhanced preparedness for cooperative counter‑terrorism operations and reinforced military ties between the two countries.
