The sixth edition of Exercise DUSTLIK, a bilateral military exercise between India and Uzbekistan, began on April 16, 2025, at the Foreign Training Node in Aundh, Pune. Scheduled to continue until April 28, the exercise aims to enhance interoperability and cooperation between the armed forces of both nations.

Key Highlights:

• The Indian contingent comprises 60 personnel from the Jat Regiment and the Indian Air Force, while the Uzbekistan contingent includes personnel from the Uzbekistan Army.
• The exercise focuses on joint multi-domain sub-conventional operations in semi-urban scenarios, particularly responding to terrorist actions involving the capture of defined territories.
• Key activities include establishing a joint operations center at the battalion level, executing counterterrorism missions such as population control measures, raids, search-and-destroy operations, and employing firepower, including air assets, to neutralize threats.
• The exercise encompasses securing helipads for mounting further operations, deploying drones for surveillance, implementing counter-unmanned aerial system measures, and conducting special heliborne operations, as well as small team insertion and extraction missions.
• Exercise DUSTLIK-VI facilitates the exchange of best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures, thereby strengthening military cooperation and fostering camaraderie between the participating forces.

This annual exercise, alternately hosted by India and Uzbekistan, underscores the commitment of both nations to collaborate on defense and security matters, enhancing their capabilities to conduct joint operations effectively.