New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS): The Indian and the Russian joint counter terrorism drill -- Indra, has concluded on Thursday, the Indian Army said.

In light of the threat of global terrorism facing both nations and by countries around the world, the theme of the exercise was contemporary and relevant, a senior Indian Army officer stated.

The aim of the exercise was to acquaint each other with operational planning, procedures, combat drills and conducting joint operations against international terrorist groups.

The 13-day exercise began on August 1 at Prudboy Ranges in Volgograd, a major Russian city situated on the western bank of the Volga river.

The Indian contigent in Russia would leave on Friday after attending the closing ceremony of the exercise on Thursday.

Both the contingents, comprising 250 soldiers from each side displayed great enthusiasm and professionalism while practicing joint drills during the conduct of the exercise, an official said.

During the validation phase, Mechanised Forces and Special forces practiced integrated live firing and specialised joint operations which included clearance of rebel stronghold in an urban setting.

"The troops not only learnt about each others organizations, but also exchanged ideas and best practices being followed in Peace Keeping Operations under aegis of the United Nations," said the Indian Army, adding that the exercise was a "grand success" and has taught valuable lessons to the troops of the participating countries.

The camaraderie developed between the contingents during the course of exercise will certainly assist in enhancing confidence between the armies.

The conduct of such joint military exercises is an important step to strengthen the relations between India and Russia.

The conduct of the exercise also entailed academic discussions between expert groups of both contingents.