India-Russia joint military exercise?

via Russia and India Report.

India and Russia will hold joint Indra-2015 military exercises in India's largest state Rajasthan on November 7-20, the Indian Defense Ministry said Thursday.
"A 250 member strong Russian Army contingent would arrive in Bikaner for INDRA-2015 for the joint exercise to be held with the Indian Army from 07 November to 20 November 2015," the ministry said in a press release.
The seventh joint Indra drills will take place in northern India's Mahajan firing range. The exercises will focus on ‘Counter Terrorism Operations in Desert Terrain under a United Nations Mandate,’ the press release added.
The drills are due to be conducted in two stages, namely "Combat Conditioning and Tactical Training" and "Validation," according to the press release. Senior military officials from India and Russia are expected to observe the exercises.
Russia and India have maintained close partnership in military and technical cooperation for decades. The two countries have been conducting joint military drills annually since 2003.

This.  This is why I find it hard to classify India as a "real deal" ally.  It also makes me question the "partnership" activities that the US military in general but the Marine Corps/Navy in particular seem so fond of.

India is doing what's in their best interest of course.  They not only get to cherry pick the best gear from both sides but they also get to train using the best tactics (ground and air) that both have to offer.

They probably have the best "hybrid" force on the planet.  They use Russian fighters while employing Western fighter tactics?  Then they get to work them out against both the US and the Russians to see how they stack up?  Now its migrating to their ground forces? Stunning in its simplicity, common sense and practicality.