KATHMANDU, Nepal (Aug 20): The fifth edition of the Nepal-China joint military exercise will begin on September 6 in Nepal, the Ministry of Defence confirmed on Tuesday.
Ministry spokesperson Manoj Kumar Acharya said the 10-day drill, held under the banner of “Sagarmatha Friendship”, will focus on counter-terrorism operations, disaster management, and high-altitude warfare. Around 150 personnel from the Nepal Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will participate.
The previous round of training, the fourth edition, took place in Chongqing, China, where both sides practiced urban counter-terrorism operations, including rappelling, IED detection and removal, checkpoint blockades, infiltration tactics, and armed rescue.
Officials said the location of this year’s drill in Nepal has not yet been disclosed. Preparations were discussed earlier this year when a Nepal Army delegation visited Chengdu, China, for talks with PLA officials.
Nepal began conducting joint military exercises with China in 2017, though the training was put on hold after the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, resuming only in 2023.
“This is part of our regular bilateral and multilateral military exercises,” Acharya said, stressing that Nepal also conducts similar drills with India, the United States, and other partner nations.
Nepal and India have been holding the annual “Surya Kiran” exercise for nearly two decades, involving some 300 soldiers from each side, while the Nepal-US Pacific Angel exercise focuses on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The Nepal Army said these exercises aim to enhance interoperability, professional knowledge, and skills, especially in areas like disaster response, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism.