- Views: 275
- Replies: 3
In a significant display of expanding defence cooperation, fifteen paratroopers from Kazakhstan's Airborne Assault Troops are currently participating in a rigorous training program at India's acclaimed Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare (CIJW) School, located in the dense jungles of Mizoram.
This initiative underscores the growing strategic partnership between the two nations and highlights India's prominent role in providing specialized military training to international forces.
The CIJW School, established in the early 1970s, has earned a global reputation for its expertise in counterinsurgency and jungle combat operations. Its challenging curriculum, which focuses on real-world scenarios, equips soldiers with practical skills essential for operating effectively in complex jungle terrains.
The Kazakh contingent is undergoing training in a variety of modules, including enhanced observation and tracking, low-intensity conflict operations (LICO), and crucial jungle survival skills. These modules are designed to hone their abilities in interpreting environmental cues, managing resources, and executing tactical operations specific to jungle warfare.
The training program emphasizes navigating and surviving in environments characterized by dense vegetation and challenging terrain. Participants are taught advanced techniques in counterinsurgency, guerrilla warfare tactics, and combat in confined spaces, all crucial for success in jungle operations.
This unique training experience exposes Kazakh soldiers to tactics and procedures that are particularly beneficial for operations beyond their usual cold, steppe environments, and allows them to gain insights into a form of warfare often overlooked in traditional military training programs.
The CIJW School's influence extends beyond its impact on Indian troops. It has a history of training soldiers from various friendly nations, contributing significantly to their preparedness for jungle warfare.
According to open-source information, the CIJW School has previously hosted military personnel from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, and several African nations, making it a hub for international military training exchange.
Its prominence as a training center is bolstered by India's own extensive experience in counterinsurgency operations within its diverse and often challenging terrain, notably in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. [Source: Various open-source reports on CIJW School training programs].
This collaboration between India and Kazakhstan builds on other joint military exercises, such as Exercise KAZIND, an annual bilateral training exercise started in 2016. The previous iterations of KAZIND focused primarily on counterterrorism operations in mountainous terrains, more familiar to Kazakh forces.
The current training at CIJW School marks a significant expansion in the scope of this bilateral military cooperation, providing Kazakhstan with exposure to a completely different operational environment.