Joint India-Bangladesh exercise continues despite Dhaka mutiny

India and Bangladesh continued their first joint military exercise in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district on Thursday amid reports that the mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers, which saw the killing of at least 50 people, spread beyond Dhaka.

"The Indian Army, Air Force and Bangladesh Army have been participating in the exercise to test their battlefield tactics since Feb 22. It will continue till March 7. The exercise is not in anyways affected by the developments in Bangladesh," a senior army official told IANS, requesting anonymity.

Troops of the Trisakti Corps of the Indian Army and Air Force personnel held a firepower demonstration at the Bagrakote firing range on Tuesday.

Some of the most powerful weapons in the Indian armoury like Bofors guns, T-27 guns from the artillery and MiG-27, MiG-17 and Cheetah helicopters from the IAF took part in the exercise.

The exercise is also seen as a counter-terrorism exercise to combat growing terrorist activities and insurgency problems.