Russia, India start joint anti-terror exercises

MOSCOW - Russia and India started their sixth joint anti-terrorism military exercises Tuesday in the Republic of Buryatia in southern Siberia, the Russian Eastern Military District press service said.

The two countries have each sent 250 soldiers to the Indra-2012 war games conducted till August 16 at the Burduny training range. Some 50 Russian combat vehicles, including tanks and artillery launchers, were also involved in the drills, the press service said.

It was the sixth time that Russia and India have held the Indra joint anti-terrorism drills since 2003. The last Indra drills were held in India in October 2010.

In 2011, the Indra naval drills were canceled after Russia unexpectedly said it had no warships to take part.

India is the largest buyer of Russian weapons. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India has purchased about $12.7 billion of weaponry in 2007-2011 period, and 80 percent of them were from Russia.