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Pakistan and China begin Karakoram 2026 army drill in Xinjiang
The exercise in Korla focuses on high-altitude counter-terrorism operations, with drones, long-range sniping and live-force drills on the programme.
Key points
- The Karakoram 2026 drill opened at a training base in Korla, Xinjiang, on Wednesday.
- It centres on joint anti-terrorism clearance operations at high altitude.
- The two armies held a joint patrol near Khunjerab in September.
Pakistani and Chinese troops began a joint exercise in China’s Xinjiang region on Wednesday, training for counter-terrorism operations in high mountains.
The drill, called Karakoram 2026, opened with a ceremony at a training base in the city of Korla, according to the Chinese military. It is built around “joint anti-terrorism clearance operations at high altitudes”, and the programme includes drone operations, searching for and firing at targets on the move, and long-range sniping. The two sides will also run joint command and live-force exercises.
At the opening, Pakistani soldiers were shown some of China’s weapons and equipment, and the two armies swapped experience in fighting militancy. Colonel Chen Xi, spokesperson for China’s defence ministry, had announced the drill the week before. Neither side has said how long it will last or how many troops are taking part.
The exercise is the latest sign of close military ties between the two neighbours. In September, their troops held a joint patrol at Mantika Pass, about 4,700 metres up near the Khunjerab top in the Hunza area of Gilgit-Baltistan. In May, they reaffirmed their commitment to military cooperation.
For Pakistan, the drill comes as its army faces rising militant violence at home, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Islamabad imposed an emergency and governor’s rule on Sunday, citing the provincial government’s failure to fight terrorism.