Pakistan army kicks off joint military exercises with Russian and Omani forces

Pak, Russian and Omani armies to share operational experience, refine counter-terrorism drills in two-week exercises

The Pakistan Army commenced joint military exercises with Russian and Omani forces at Cherat and the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Pabbi, respectively, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the ninth edition of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Exercise Druzhba-IX and the second edition of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Exercise Washaq Al Jabal-II (Mountain Lynx-II) commenced today.

"The two-week exercises bring together contingents from Pakistan Army and their counterparts from the Russian Army and the Royal Army of Oman to share operational experience, refine counter-terrorism drills, procedures and enhance interoperability," the ISPR said.

Read: Pakistan-Russia exercise Druzhba-VII kicks off to boost counter-terrorism expertise

The military's media wing further stated that through joint training and the exchange of best practices, the participating forces would hone their combat skills and tactical expertise while further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.

Pakistan Army has begun joint military exercises with Russian and Omani forces at Cherat and NCTC Pabbi, respectively, ISPR says. Druzhba IX with Russia and Washaq Al Jabal II with Oman will run for two weeks, focusing on counterterrorism drills, sharing operational experience… pic.twitter.com/sSLqklgZ62

— Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) September 22, 2026

The Pakistan Army routinely conducts joint military exercises with foreign militaries to improve operational readiness and enhance combat capabilities.

On May 7, Pakistan and Sri Lanka concluded a two-week-long joint counter-terrorism exercise at Tarbela, focused on enhancing counter-terrorism skills and strengthening their longstanding military-to-military relations.

"The two-week exercise began on April 27 and concluded today. Combat teams from the Special Services Group (SSG) of the Pakistan Army and the Sri Lankan Special Forces participated in the exercise," ISPR said.

ISPR also said that the exercise aimed to refine the drills, procedures and techniques involved in counter-terrorism operations through joint training, while also reinforcing the historic military-to-military relations between the two friendly countries.

On April 20, Pakistan and Egypt successfully concluded a joint counterterrorism exercise called “Thunder-II”. 

According to ISPR, combat teams from the Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group (SSG) and the Egyptian Special Forces participated in the exercise, “demonstrating exceptional professionalism and operational skill throughout”.

Pakistan-Egypt Joint Exercise Thunder-II, focused on counterterrorism operations, was successfully conducted at Cherat@OfficialDGISPR #News #RadioPakistan https://t.co/X2bkieoz92 pic.twitter.com/OJQCW3WWY0

— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) April 20, 2026

ISPR added that the exercise “served to further strengthen the longstanding and historic military-to-military relations between the two friendly nations”.

In September 2025, "Druzhba-VIII" between the Pakistan and Russian armies was conducted from September 15–27 in the counter-terrorism domain.

"The exercise was aimed at refining the drills, procedures and techniques involved in counterterrorism operations with a focus on drone warfare, fighting in built-up areas and counter-improvised explosive devices," ISPR had said in a statement.

Read More: Pakistan-Russia joint anti-terrorism drill concludes with military show of solidarity

The troops from both countries displayed the highest standards of professional excellence during the exercise, ISPR added.