India, Pakistan to Launch Major War Games at Same Time, The Times of India, 6 April 2010

EXCERPT: "In a coincidence that has the potential of raising tension levels, the Indian and Pakistani militaries would be conducting major war-games later this month virtually within shouting distance from each other. Both exercises, involving thousands of troops, 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. Called 'Yodha Shakti', the games will involve one of its three principal 'strike' formations, the Mathura-based 1 Corps. It will practice a 'pro-active' war strategy revolving around the objective of mobilizing fast under 'the cold start' doctrine and striking hard across the border to pulverize the enemy. Around the same time - from April 10 to May 13 - Pakistan will conduct its 'Azm-e-Nau-III' (new resolve) exercise, described as its biggest war-games in two decades, to train for a conventional war with India. The maneuvers will be held near the border in the country's Punjab and Sindh provinces - close to Rajasthan's Thar desert. Pakistan's exercise will be massive. 'It's aimed at validating and refining newly evolved doctrines,' the head of Pakistan army's military training directorate, Muzammil Hussain, said in Rawalpindi. Azm-e-Nau-III will mobilize 20,000 troops in the beginning, rising to 40,000 to 50,000 towards the end, he said."

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Related articles:
Army plans largest exercise since '98 Zarb-i-Momin, DAWN, 6 April 2010
Pakistan to hold military exercise focused on India, Reuters South Africa, 5 April 2010
Military exercise Azm-e-Nau-3 not against India: DG Military Training, The Nation, 5 April 2010

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