India, Pakistan to launch parallel war games

India and Pakistan are set to simultaneously hold major war maneuvers involving thousands of troops, in a possible coincidence.

Both countries aim to test offensive strategies in the event of an armed conflict with the other side and will have active participation of their respective air forces.

The Indian Army will launch its month-long war games in mid-April in the Thar Desert, code-named ‘Yodha Shakti’, while Pakistan will be launching its ‘Azm-e-Nau-III’ (new resolve), exercise from April 10 to May 13.

India said its new Jaguar jet fighters will also be involved in the exercises.

Pakistan said that the exercise will mobilize 20,000 troops in the beginning, expanding to 40,000 to 50,000 towards the end. The maneuvers will be held near the border in the country’s Punjab and Sindh provinces — close to Rajasthan’s Thar Desert.

The exercise will be a two-sided, day-and-night affair with rapid and deep offensives being undertaken by the battle groups to assault and capture ‘enemy’ territory, said a senior Indian officer.