Synopsis: CINBAX-II focuses on counter-terrorism and humanitarian assistance, besides disaster relief training.
The second edition of CINBAX-II, an India-Cambodia joint military exercise has commenced in Kampong Speu province, marking a significant step forward in defence cooperation between the two countries.
According to the Royal Cambodian Army, the exercise will be conducted at the Techo Sen Phnom Thom Mreas Prov RCAF Training Centre in Kampong Speu province from May 3 to 18.
The war game will showcase Company-level joint training for conduct of operations in a sub-conventional environment.
And it is aligned with the current dynamics of counter-terrorism operations encountered by forces during a UN peacekeeping operation.
The exercise brings together personnel from the Indian Army and the Royal Cambodian Army, focusing on counter-terrorism operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the Indian contingent of 120 soldiers—primarily from the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment—deployed for the exercise, which is being held under a United Nations Chapter VII operational framework. The Cambodian side has deployed around 160 personnel.
“The Joint exercise will be aligned with the current dynamics of Counter-Terrorism operations encountered by the peace keeping forces during the UN peace keeping operation,” the ministry states.
“This aim will be achieved through various practical and comprehensive discussions as well as tactical exercises, leading to a comprehensive validation exercise.”
The exercise includes both Command Post Exercises and Field Training Exercises, designed to simulate sub-conventional warfare scenarios and peacekeeping environments.
Training modules also cover drone operations, mortar deployment, and sniper tactics, reflecting modern battlefield requirements.
“The exercise will not only showcase the capability of both the nations towards maintaining global peace, but will also facilitate in exchanging best practices and sharing of operational experiences gained during various operations against hostile forces in Semi-Urban environment,” the ministry added.
“The joint military exercise CINBAX-II 2026 reflects the growing Defence Co-operation between India-Cambodia and will further enhance the bilateral relations between the two nations, while contributing towards mutual understanding in handling regional security challenges.”
Kin Phea, Director-General of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, said the join exercise represents a positive and progressive development in Cambodia-India relations.
He added that this is a significant step in defence and security cooperation between the two countries, as they have now reached the level of conducting joint exercises. This shows that cooperation has become broader and more substantive, moving beyond agreements on paper to practical collaboration on the ground.
“Cambodia can gain valuable experience from these joint exercises beyond symbolic diplomacy. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate that Cambodia has diversity in its military partnerships, and to gain knowledge and best practices from the Indian military in areas such as counter-terrorism, disaster relief operations, technology, and military strategy,” he said.
This exercise marks the second edition of the exercise between the two armies, following the successful conduct of the first edition in the Republic of India in 2024.
