India and Kazakhstan on Sunday began the ninth edition of their joint military exercise KAZIND-2026 at Oskemen in Kazakhstan, deepening defence cooperation between the two countries.

A 60-member contingent of the Indian Army, drawn from the Garhwal Rifles, is taking part in the exercise, which will run until October 11.

The exercise focuses on counter-terrorism operations, sub-conventional warfare and the use of drones and modern surveillance systems in mountainous and semi-urban terrain.

KAZIND is one of India’s key bilateral military engagements in Central Asia and reflects New Delhi’s growing strategic interest in the region.

The drills also include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief components, and are expected to improve interoperability between the two armies.

India and Kazakhstan share a defence partnership that has grown steadily since the 1990s, with KAZIND alternating between the two countries each year. The exercise is part of India’s wider outreach to Central Asia, a region New Delhi sees as key to energy security and counter-terrorism cooperation.