Pakistan, Tajikistan Conclude Dosti-III Exercise at Cherat
The Dosti-III exercise between the Pakistan and Tajikistan armies has concluded at the Special Operations School in Cherat, closing the third edition of the joint counter-terrorism drills between the two countries.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the exercise ended on Friday, November 6, 2026. It had begun on October 26 at the training facility in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district.
According to the ISPR, the exercise “focused on sharing counter-terrorism experiences, refining operational drills, procedures and enhancing combat skills through mutual learning and exchange of best practices.”
“The exercise reflected the longstanding military cooperation between Pakistan and Tajikistan and reaffirms the resolve of both countries to further strengthen bilateral defence ties,” the statement added.
Dosti-III exercise: what the troops practised
The drills brought soldiers from both armies together for joint counter-terrorism training, centred on the practical skills small units need, from shared procedures to combat techniques refined by working side by side.
Cherat hosts the Pakistan Army’s Special Operations School, which trains special forces troops, so the visiting Tajik contingent trained inside the same system Pakistan’s own special operations soldiers use.
The ISPR photograph from the exercise shows the two contingents posed together on the steps of the training facility, with officers from both sides standing alongside the troops. A drone and long-range weapons sit in the foreground, the kind of equipment the drills covered.
A series that keeps growing
Dosti-III is the third round of the bilateral exercise, held on both sides of the border. The previous edition, Dosti-II, concluded on August 9, 2025, at the Fakhrobod Base in Tajikistan.
That six-day exercise ran from August 4 to 9, 2025. Two combat teams from the Pakistan Army’s Light Commando Battalion took part, alongside four combat teams from the Tajikistan Special Forces. The ISPR said at the time that all training and military diplomacy objectives were met.
The rotation between the two countries matters. Training in each other’s terrain and facilities builds familiarity that a single-venue series cannot match.
A busy season of joint drills
The conclusion of Dosti-III caps a crowded period of joint military training for Pakistan. In October, the Pakistan Army began two more exercises at the same time: the ninth edition of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Exercise Druzhba-IX at Cherat, and the second edition of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Exercise Washaq Al Jabal-II at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Pabbi.
The Druzhba-IX contingent included Russian troops from the 201st Guards Military Base, and the two-week exercises aimed to share experience, refine drills and build interoperability.
Last month also saw China and Pakistan begin their first-ever joint army training exercise in northwestern Xinjiang, covering drone operation, target search and firing on the move, long-range sniping, and joint command and live-force exercises.
Earlier in the year, Pakistan and Sri Lanka concluded a two-week exercise at Tarbela on May 7, and Pakistan and Egypt wrapped up their Thunder-II exercise on April 20, both with special forces teams from each side.
Why it matters for Pakistan
Tajikistan shares a narrow border with Pakistan through the Wakhan Corridor, so both countries have a direct interest in checking militant movement across the region. Joint training gives their forces common procedures for border security operations.
The defence contact sits alongside a growing economic relationship. Pakistan and Tajikistan have set a target of lifting bilateral trade to $200 million within three years, up from $43 million in 2025, with textiles among the sectors in focus. The exercise also fits Pakistan’s wider security diplomacy, which drew support at the United Nations Security Council this week. The security link is direct: security forces foiled an infiltration attempt in Kurram after firing from across the Afghan border, and a civil-military meeting recently agreed to scale up intelligence-based operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
For Tajikistan, the drills offer access to Pakistan’s counter-terrorism training while militant groups remain active across the region. For Pakistan, they deepen a defence partnership with a Central Asian neighbour on the far side of Afghanistan.
What happens next
Neither side has announced dates for a fourth edition, but the ISPR statement’s commitment to strengthen bilateral defence ties points to the series continuing.
Where did Exercise Dosti-III take place?
The exercise concluded at the Special Operations School in Cherat, in Nowshera district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
When did Dosti-III begin?
The exercise commenced on October 26, 2026, and concluded on Friday, November 6, 2026.
What was the focus of the exercise?
It focused on sharing counter-terrorism experiences, refining operational drills and procedures, and enhancing combat skills through mutual learning and exchange of best practices.
Where was the previous edition held?
Dosti-II was held at the Fakhrobod Base in Tajikistan from August 4 to 9, 2025.
