In a landmark move, China and Pakistan have kicked off their inaugural joint military exercise, dubbed Karakoram 2026, in the high-altitude region of Xinjiang.
The exercise, named Karakoram 2026, began with an opening ceremony at a training base in Korla, in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region of northwestern China.
The two countries have held annual joint air force and naval exercises, but this marks their first joint army training exercise, according to Chinese military officials. The launch of the joint army drills marks a new phase in the two countries’ military engagement, expanding cooperation beyond their established air force and naval exercises.
China is Pakistan’s largest arms supplier, providing more than 80 per cent of the weapons supplied to the country’s three armed services, according to the report. The Karakoram 2026 exercise is expected to broaden military cooperation between the two countries, with a particular focus on counter-terrorism and high-altitude operations.
The deployment of Chinese equipment for high-altitude operations has drawn attention given China’s military experience in the himalayan border region with India, according to the news agency PTI. Wheeled armoured vehicles offer certain advantages over tracked platforms in high-altitude environments, according to Wang. The exercise is focused on joint counter-terrorism operations and clearance missions in high-altitude areas, according to Chinese military officials. The exercise will also involve joint command activities and live-force training, according to the Chinese military.
They can move faster, particularly on roads, and are generally easier to maintain, making them suitable for transportation and combat missions across plateau terrain.