India-Nepal Exercise Surya Kiran: A contingent of 334 Indian Army soldiers left for Nepal on Saturday. This contingent of the Indian Army will participate in battalion level joint military exercise ‘Surya Kiran’ in Nepal.
This is the 18th edition of the joint military exercise between the two countries. This exercise is being conducted in Saljhandi, Nepal from 31 December 2024 to 13 January 2025. Exercise Surya Kiran aims to enhance interoperability in jungle warfare, counter-terrorism operations in mountains and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief under the UN Charter.
The exercise will focus on enhancing operational preparedness, aviation aspects, medical training and environmental protection. Through these activities the soldiers will enhance their operational capabilities. With this, the soldiers of both the armies will hone their fighting skills.
Through this exercise, military personnel of India and Nepal will strengthen their coordination to work together in challenging situations. It is an annual training programme, which is organized by rotation in both the countries. The Indian Army contingent will be led by a battalion of the 11th Gorkha Rifles.
Whereas, the Nepali Army contingent will be represented by Shri Jang Battalion. This edition of Exercise Surya Kiran is being conducted after the successful visit of Indian Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi to Nepal and Nepali Army Chief of Army Staff General Ashok Raj Sigdale to India.
The exercise will provide a platform for troops from India and Nepal to exchange ideas and experiences, share best practices and promote deeper understanding of each other’s operational procedures.
Panic due to bomb blast
There has been a threat of bomb blast on New Year in Nepal. According to TOI, an organization named Rajawadi has threatened to carry out bomb blasts. The area of ​​Ithari echoed with the bomb blast that took place just thirty kilometers away from the India-Nepal border. After the bomb blast, the army along with the Nepali police has also descended for security. Nepal’s army is continuously engaged in the work of recovering bombs and deactivating them.