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Military drills

Indian military official advises marines to learn Russian

Eighth Russian-Indian naval drills Indra started on Monday, December 7, in the Bay of Bengal, off India’s state of Andhra Pradesh

Indian Navy marine commandos EPA/DIVYAKANT SOLANKI

Indian Navy marine commandos

© EPA/DIVYAKANT SOLANKI

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Russia and India hold joint naval exercise in Bay of Bengal

VISAKHAPATNAM, December 8. /TASS/. Indian marines should learn the Russian language, India’s Western Naval Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Soonil Bhokare said on Tuesday.

"When I was in Russia, we were taught the Russian language - how to speak and write," Bhokare said at the Indra Russian-Indian naval drills. "It is not a difficult language. I advise my colleagues to learn it," he added.

India’s National Defense Academy offers an opportunity to study Russian as one of foreign languages, he noted. The National Defense Academy trains officers for the Indian army, air and naval forces.

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Indian Defense Minister: I have always seen Russia as an all-weather friend for India

"Russian language is especially popular among Indian marines. Up to 20 people are learning it now," he explained adding that they are "inspired by Russian women and Olivier salad."

Eighth Russian-Indian naval drills Indra started on Monday, December 7, in the Bay of Bengal, off India’s state of Andhra Pradesh.

The six-day exercise consists of two stages - "Harbor", taking place from December 7 to 9, and "Sea", due from December 10 to 12. Launched in quite a modest format in 2003, these naval exercises have grown into full-scale maneuvers with bigger capacity, complexity of operations and the level of participation.

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