India, Pakistan, China participate in Russia's annual military drill TSENTR 2019

The military drills take place annually but Russia has upped the ante this year by inviting forces from China, India and Pakistan as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speaks to Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, left, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, second right, and Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov during a brake in a control center of the military exe

Russia is carrying out massive multinational military exercise with participation from China, India and Pakistan among other countries from September 16 to 21.

The military drill, TSENTR, takes place annually but Russia has upped the ante this year by inviting forces from China, India and Pakistan as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The exercise is a part of Exercise TSENTR 2019 involving thousands of weapons, military equipment, hundreds of aircrafts, ships and support vessels.

The drills are designed to test the combat-readiness of the military command and troops. At the same time, another Indian Army contingent is in the United States for ‘Yudh Abhyas’, an annual bilateral exercise.

The main theme of the drills is the use of a coalition army group in the fight against international terrorism and providing military security in Central Asia.