India taking part in Vostok 2022, US expresses concern
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The Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson says that India has been involved in multilateral military exercises in Russia on a regular basis and there will be only army participation in the Vostok exercises this year.
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In this handout photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Chinese troops march during the Vostok 2022 military exercise at a firing range in Russia's Far East, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022 (Vadim Savitsky/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
India has been regularly taking part in multilateral military exercises in Russia, Arindam Bagchi, the Indian foreign ministry spokesman, said on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday, the US expressed concern about India's reported involvement in the Vostok exercises. At the same time, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House spokeswoman, said that the final decision on participation in such events remains with the countries.
"The United States has concerns about any country exercising with Moscow while Russia wages an unprovoked, brutal war against Ukraine. But, of course, every participating country will make its own decisions. And I’ll leave it at that," said Jean-Pierre when asked about the Biden administration's reaction to New Delhi's decision considering that India is a partner of the United States and Asia.
Answering the question on the Vostok 2022 multilateral drills, the Indian spokesperson said that "India has been regularly participating in multilateral exercises in Russia along with a number of other countries."
"I understand there will be only army participation in the Vostok exercises this year," Bagchi added, answering about the Indian navy's participation in the Vostok 2022 in the Far East.
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— OsintTv📺 (@OsintTv) August 31, 2022
Report:
Some exclusive visual of Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the Strategic command and staff exercise "Vostok-2022" held in Russia #Vostok2022 pic.twitter.com/PYU3FLD1pL
The strategic Vostok-2022 military exercises will take place in Russia's Eastern Military District from September 1-7. The drills will involve members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as well as other partner states. Over 50,000 people, and more than 5,000 units of weapons and military equipment, including 140 aircraft, 60 warships, boats, and support vessels will be involved in the maneuvers.
The grand opening of the Vostok-2022 strategic military exercises took place at the Sergeevsky training ground in Russia's Primorsky Region on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Representatives of Azerbaijan, Algeria, Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Syria, and Tajikistan also delivered welcoming speeches, after which servicemen of the countries participating in the drills marched solemnly.
A look back
In August of last year, Russia and China conducted joint military exercises in north-central China which included over 10,000 troops. Sergei Shoigu, Russia's defense minister, hailed the Sibu/Cooperation-2021 drills in China's Ningxia and suggested they be expanded.
Russia and China conducted joint naval exercises in the Sea of Japan in October. After a few days, Russian and Chinese warships conducted their first joint patrols in the western Pacific.
Shortly before the war in Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow announced a "no limits" partnership, despite the US failed attempts to push China to join US-led sanctions against Russia right after the start of the war.
It is worth noting that the eastern military district of Russia includes a portion of Siberia and is headquartered in Khabarovsk, near the Chinese border.
