Context:

Sri Lanka is hosting the 10th edition of the Mitra Shakti exercise.

More on the news

• The Indian Army and the Sri Lankan army will kick off the 10th edition of their joint exercise, “Mitra Shakti,” at Maduruoya in Sri Lanka’s Southern Province.
• A unit of 120 soldiers from the Indian Army’s Rajputana Rifles (Raj Rif) will join the Sri Lanka Army’s Gajaba regiment in the exercise starting Aug 12, 2024.
• The focus of this year’s exercise is on joint operations in semi-urban environments aligning with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which deals with actions regarding threats to peace and security.
• The previous edition of “Mitra Shakti” took place at the Aundh Military Station, Pune, India with troops from the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment participating.

Objective of the exercise

• It aims to improve the operational proficiency of both armies by facilitating the exchange of skills, experiences, and best practices.
• This collaboration is designed to enhance the armies’ abilities to handle contemporary security challenges, such as counter-terrorism and urban warfare. 

Other Exercises with Sri Lanka

• Naval exercise (SLINEX).