Pakistani and US armies conduct joint counter-terrorism exercise ‘Inspired Gambit-2026’

The Pakistani and US armies are conducting a joint military exercise titled ‘Inspired Gambit-2026’ aimed at strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation between the two forces, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

According to a press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the two-week exercise, from January 8 to 16, focuses on counter-terrorism operations and marks the 13th edition of the bilateral training series, which has been held regularly since 1995.

A visitors’ ceremony was held at the National Counterterrorism Center, attended by US Chargé d’affaires Natalie Baker and senior US military dignitaries. The ISPR said the Corps Commander from Rawalpindi was also present.

The ISPR said the guests were briefed on the scope, objectives and conduct of the exercise with participants from both armies demonstrating a “high level of professionalism and operational proficiency, which was appreciated by the visiting dignitaries”.

He added that the exercise aimed to strengthen bilateral military cooperation through the exchange of anti-terrorism experiences, improvement of anti-terrorism exercises and procedures and development of interoperability between the two forces.

The Pakistan Armed Forces regularly conduct joint exercises with foreign armies to exchange professional expertise and strengthen their combat readiness. In this regard, the Pakistan Navy and Turkish Navy held their first bilateral amphibious exercise in August last year, marking a significant milestone in strengthening maritime collaboration and interoperability between the two friendly navies.

The exercise included a full range of training activities, including combat shooting techniques, amphibious operations exercises, convoy escort procedures and military operations in urban terrain.

Live-fire exercises and close-combat scenarios were also conducted to refine tactical coordination and operational readiness in coastal environments. The exercise concluded with a comprehensive amphibious exercise in a designated coastal area, validating the operational readiness of both navies.

New heights in Pakistani-American relations

Diplomatic engagement between the United States and Pakistan has reached new heights after US President Donald Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Pakistan and India during their brief war.

Since then, the leaders of the two countries have exchanged cordial gestures and congratulated each other for their leadership on international platforms. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif even nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his mediation efforts.

Trump, in turn, frequently praised Prime Minister Shehbaz and Pakistan’s military leadership, notably describing Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir as his “favorite field marshal.”

Building on this positive momentum, Islamabad is now seeking to translate this goodwill into tangible economic benefits by striking a more favorable trade deal with Washington – including concessions on tariffs and expanded market access for Pakistani exports.

In October last year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States saw an opportunity to strengthen its strategic relationship with Pakistan as part of a broader, pragmatic foreign policy approach.

Rubio said New Delhi understands that the United States must engage with multiple partners to pursue common interests.

“We see an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan, and that is our job: to find as many countries as possible to work with on issues of common interest,” Rubio said. “The Indians are very mature when it comes to diplomacy. They have relations with countries that we don’t have, and we have others that they don’t have. This is part of a mature and pragmatic foreign policy,” he added.

Rubio stressed that growing engagement with Pakistan does not come at the expense of Washington’s “deep, historic and important” friendship with India. He described the two relationships as vital to maintaining regional stability and advancing U.S. strategic interests in South Asia.