In a first, to further ramp up military ties with Russia, India will today kick-start a 10-day mega war game 'Indra' which will involve all three services -- the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
The 10-day military exercise, which is being held in Russia, will serve towards strengthening mutual confidence and interoperability as well as sharing of the best practices between the armed forces of both the countries.
"INDRA-2017 will serve towards strengthening mutual confidence and interoperability as well as sharing of the best practices between the armed forces of both the countries," the statement said.
"The joint tri-service exercise will be a demonstration of the increasing commitment of both nations to address common challenges across the full spectrum of operations," it added.
The Defence Ministry, in a statement, said the INDRA-2107 will be "a landmark event in the history of Indo-Russian defence cooperation".
It will be for the first time India will participate in a tri-services exercise with a foreign country with such a large scale participation by the Navy, the Army and the Air Force, a senior army official said.
Scheduled to be conducted at the 249th Combined Army Range Sergiyevisky and in the Sea of Japan near Vladivostok, it is the first tri-service bilateral exercise between the two countries.
In its previous nine editions, INDRA has been conducted as a single service exercise alternately between the two countries.
The Indian contingent is comprising 350 personnel from army, 80 from air force, two IL 76 aircraft and one Frigate and Corvette each from the Navy.
