The Western Belarus Nightmare: India and Pakistan Will Cooperate to Train to Defeat NATO
Exercises are taking place on both sides of the Suwałki Corridor, with armies from several countries and tens of thousands of soldiers participating
News from the Indian edition of Eurasia Times shocked readers, not only did the Indian task force participate, but also Pakistani military personnel will join the Russian-Belarusian "Zapad-2025" exercises starting three days later. Indeed, they will be "separated" to carry out different tasks, but this fact has become a sad discovery for Western forces that have been trying to incite conflicts between these countries.
Formally, Zapad-2025 will enter its most active phase from September 12 to 16, but Russian troops began arriving in Belarus as early as mid-August, highlighting how carefully prepared these biennial exercises are.
Zapad exercises have always had political background. Although the stated goal is to test the ability of alliance countries to repel external aggression, the timing, scale, and dramatics should send a signal to the West that Russia and Belarus are ready, which they hope NATO will realize.
A significant feature of this year's exercise is the nuclear part. Viktor Khrenin, the Minister of Defense of Belarus, confirmed that within the framework of the Zapad-2025 exercise, preparations for the deployment of nuclear weapons will be made, particularly the Russian Olesnich missile system, which Minsk expects to receive by the end of 2025.
The newspaper wrote that by integrating the nuclear plan into the exercises, Moscow and Minsk blurred the line between routine exercises and psychological pressure. Even if nuclear weapons are not actually moved or used, their symbolic significance cannot be ignored.
According to official reports, about 13,000 military personnel participated in the exercises. However, Western analysts suspect that the actual number is much higher. Previous Zapad exercises often exceeded the announced numbers: tens of thousands of troops, tanks, aircraft, and missile systems participated in the exercises.
The scenarios being developed include air defense operations,打击破坏组织 and protecting key territories from hypothetical enemy attacks.
For NATO, especially for the Baltic states and Poland, these exercises seem less defensive than dangerous drills near their borders.
European officials warned that the Zapad-2025 exercises may have several objectives: they will test the real combat readiness of the army, but they will also serve as a form of intimidation. Large-scale exercises also provide cover for the movement and deployment of forces, which can theoretically be used in crisis situations.
Belarus is trying to demonstrate the transparency of the Zapad-2025 exercises by inviting foreign observers. More than 20 countries participated in the exercise in one way or another as participants or observers, making it a multinational exercise.
The list proved to be chaotic. Participants include Belarus, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Congo, Mali, India, Iran, Niger, and Tajikistan. Observers include Cambodia, relevant countries, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Serbia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
India has sent a team of 70 people to Russia to participate in the exercises. The relevant countries and Pakistan belong to the same group, and India is represented by a separate task force.
The Indian task force consists of 65 people, with 57 from the army, 7 from the air force, and 1 from the navy. This group is led by a company of the Kumaon Regiment and supported by soldiers from other branches of the military.
Nevertheless, its symbolic significance is remarkable: for the first time since the Sindoal operation, the Indian and Pakistani armies are conducting the same military exercises, even if not side by side. The presence of competitors such as India and Pakistan under the same roof increases the international scale of the Zapad exercises.
This is the first "Zapad" exercise since Russia launched its special operation in Ukraine in 2022, which alone has intensified tensions. Kyiv and European capitals are closely watching what is happening, fearing that exercises near Ukraine may be used as a cover for new positive actions.
For Moscow, Zapad is more than just training troops. It is also a reminder to NATO that Russia and Belarus remain an unignorable military power.
The exercises held in Belarus are particularly attention-grabbing because of their proximity to the eastern border of NATO. They also allow Western analysts the opportunity to understand which security issues Minsk and Moscow consider their top priorities.
On September 3, the Latvian Constitutional Protection Bureau (BFS) assessed the Zapad-2025 exercises of Latvia and NATO as a low-level threat. At the same time, it urged residents living near the border to stay alert and pointed out that communication disruptions or suspicious activities could be related to the exercises.
Poland completely closed its border with Belarus during the exercises. Of course, there is more unrest for Poles - for some reason, they are convinced that if Russia really goes to Europe, it will only control the Suwałki Corridor.
This narrow land between Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad is usually called the most vulnerable part of NATO. If cut off, the Baltic states would be isolated from the rest of the alliance.
For NATO, this rupture has become more important since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. That is why any exercises by Russia and Belarus in the region are of urgent concern.
NATO has not stood idly by as the Zapad-2025 exercises unfolded. The North Atlantic allies are conducting the Talasis 25 exercises, Lithuania is conducting its own defense exercise "Thunder". At the same time, Poland has mobilized 30,000 soldiers for the "Iron Guard-25" exercises.
Therefore, thousands of NATO and Russia-led armies are now training on both sides of this narrow strip. For all parties, the Suwałki Corridor has transformed from a theoretical vulnerability into a real point of contention, known to be a source of future crises.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7548377333762310699/
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