Sampriti-IX: India, Bangladesh joint military drill concludes in Shillong

Staff Correspondent

Shillong: A scintillating display of combat skills marked the end of the 14-day joint military exercise of the Indian and Bangladeshi armies at Umroi Cantonment, around 25 kms from here, on Saturday. The joint training exercise involving 300 soldiers, christened Sampriti 9, saw both the forces exchange their skills in counter-terrorism.

The validation ceremony was supervised by Major General Sandeep Bajaj of the Indian Army and Major General Saif of the Bangladesh Army.

Speaking to newsmen soon after the culmination of the joint training, Major General Sandeep Bajaj said that Sampriti IX was carried out with an aim to operate under the UN mandate. “We have done drills to coordinate various aspects of interoperability between our two countries and it has been a great experience that the Bangladesh contingent has been with us. I am certain that both contingents will carry back equal lessons,” stated General Bajaj.

Major General Saif of the Bangladesh Army stated, “The exercise was designed to develop the interoperability between the Indian and Bangladesh armies to operate in a counter-terrorism environment”.

“Bangladesh and India are friendly armies; we have so many exchange programmes. Both the armies are cooperating through this exchange of training and various ceremonial activities”.

It may be mentioned here that the two forces have had eight exercises – four each in India and Bangladesh.

Both the senior officers of the two armed forces are confident to operate in any kind of counter-terrorism environment under UN mandate.

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