China, Pakistan start 1st ever Karakoram 2026 joint army exercise
China and Pakistan just kicked off their first-ever joint army exercise, Karakoram 2026, in the high-altitude region of Xinjiang.
Until now, their military teamwork was mostly about air force and naval drills, so this marks a new level for their partnership.
The training uses only Chinese gear (think Type 191 rifles and Type 08 infantry fighting vehicles) and takes place at a base in Korla.
Drills hone mountain counter-terrorism skills
Karakoram 2026 is all about boosting counter-terrorism skills together, especially in tough mountain conditions.
The two sides are practicing with drones, testing mobile target detection, and running live-force exercises to get better at working as a team.
Plus, it gives Pakistan a chance to check out Chinese military tech for possible future buys, showing just how much trust is growing between them.