Chinese service members take part in an opening ceremony of the Vostok 2022 military exercises at a firing range in Russia’s far eastern Primorsky region on Aug. 31, 2022. (Photo: Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via REUTERS)
China and India are participating in large-scale joint military exercises led by Russia in their Eastern Military District, the defense ministries of both countries have confirmed.
Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan and other countries are also participating in the exercises.
More than 2,000 soldiers, as well as more than 300 vehicles of various types, 21 planes and helicopters, and three ships were sent by China to the exercise, according to the state-run tabloid The Global Times.
“According to the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian armies and the consensus reached by both sides, the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) recently sent troops to Russia to participate in the Vostok-2022 exercise,” Senior Colonel Tan Kefei said. , a spokesman for China’s Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference last week.
Tan added that the PLA’s participation was aimed at “deepening practical and friendly cooperation with other participating armies, enhancing strategic coordination among participating parties, and strengthening the ability to jointly respond to various security threats.”
In mid-August, China’s Defense Ministry said the drills were “unrelated to the current international and regional situation.”
A contingent from the Indian Army will also take part in the drills, according to the Indian Defense Ministry.
“The exercise is aimed at interaction and coordination between other participating military contingents and observers. … During the next seven days, joint exercises will be carried out that will include joint training exercises on the ground, combat discussions and power exercises of fire,” according to a press release from the ministry on Thursday.
“The Indian Army contingent looks forward to sharing practicalities and putting into practice the validated exercises, procedures and practicing amalgamation of new technologies through discussions and tactical exercises,” the statement added.
To contextualize: India has engaged in similar exercises with China and Russia in the past, but this latest one comes amid rising tensions around Taiwan and Ukraine. Over the past six months, India has refrained from taking a firm stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite heavy pressure from Western countries.
In total, more than 50,000 military personnel and more than 5,000 units of weapons and military equipment — including 140 aircraft, 60 warships, ships and support vessels — will take part in the Vostok-2022 exercises, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.
The last time Russia held its Vostok exercises was in 2018, which it then called its “biggest war games since the fall of the Soviet Union,” including thousands of troops from China and Mongolia.