India, Oman to begin joint military exercise 'Al Najah' 2024 from September 13 at Salalah

The 5th edition of the India-Oman joint military exercise 'Al Najah' will take place from September 13 to 27, 2024, in Salalah, Oman. Focused on counter-terrorism in desert environments, the drill strengthens defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations.

The Indian Army and Oman Army will begin their 5th edition of joint military exercise “Al Najah” 2024 on September 13 at Rabkoot training area in Salalah, Oman.

The exercise would culminate on September 27. “Exercise Al Najah, initiated in 2014, aims to strengthen the joint military capabilities of both the nations in executing counter-terrorism operations under the United Nations charter,” an Indian Army official said.

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“This year the exercise will be based on operations in a desert environment,” he said. The theme would be “Together to uphold peace for a better tomorrow.” The previous edition of the joint military exercise was conducted at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

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The two armies would have an ideal platform to share their experiences and develop a mutual understanding approach towards modern-day challenges of terrorism and regional security. The joint military drill aims to scale the level of defence cooperation between the two armies and will further manifest in enhancing the bilateral relations between them.

The defence cooperation between the two countries has become a critical pillar of the strategic partnership with regular exchange of visits by the defence ministers from both sides. The Indian Navy has been deploying mobile training teams in Oman annually to train the Royal Navy of Oman personnel. India has also established a naval port in Oman.