Military Exercise Dustlik 2025 | 01 May 2025

Source: PIB 

The 6^th edition of Joint Military Exercise Dustlik 2025 between India and Uzbekistan concluded in Pune. The 2024 edition of the exercise took place in Termez, Uzbekistan.  

Exercise Dustlik 2025 

• Exercise Dustlik (means 'friendship' in Uzbek) is an annual bilateral military exercise conducted alternately between India and Uzbekistan.  
• The Indian contingent included a battalion of the JAT Regiment and the Indian Air Force, while the Uzbekistan Army represented the other side.  
• The exercise focused on joint multi-domain sub-conventional operations in a semi-urban scenario, simulating responses to terrorist activities involving the capture of territory.  
• It focused on counter-terrorism operations, Joint Operations Centre, population control, raids, search-and-destroy missions, and use of air assets with the aim to boost interoperability and strengthen India-Uzbekistan defence ties. 

Uzbekistan 

• Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, situated between the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. It borders Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan.