India, U.S. Stage Joint Army Exercise

NEW DELHI — Indian and U.S. troops launched their biggest joint military exercise in nearly 40 years Saturday, marking another step in the growing ties between the world’s two largest democracies that once sat on opposite sides in the Cold War.

“Exercises opened today and would continue for the next two weeks. It’s the largest army exercise involving Indian and U.S. ground forces,” a U.S. Embassy spokesman here said.

Exercise Balance Iroquois, in the northern Indian tourist town of Agra, comes in the midst of India’s latest tense military standoff with nuclear rival Pakistan, which was triggered by an attack on the Indian Parliament in December.

Nearly a million troops are massed on both sides of the border, raising fears of a fourth war between the neighbors.

The United States suspended military links with India and Pakistan after both carried out nuclear tests in 1998, but ties have resumed with the two nations, especially after they backed the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.

“It is part of growing military relations between the two countries. It will make operations better,” the spokesman said of the exercise with India. He said special operations forces from the Asia-Pacific Command are participating.

Indian officials were not immediately available to give details on the number of soldiers participating in the exercise, taking place about 400 miles from the Pakistan border.

Though Pakistan has been a U.S. ally much longer than India, New Delhi has continued strengthening ties with Washington in recent months. Top military officials have exchanged visits, and Washington agreed to resume sales of defense equipment that were banned under sanctions imposed after India’s nuclear tests.