American and Pakistani troops concluded joint training at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Pabbi during exercise “Inspired Gambit 2026”. Training exercises like this between the U.S. and Pakistan strengthen our long-standing defence ties, Dawn reported on Saturday (January 17, 2026), quoting a statement issued by the U.S. Central Command (Centcom). The exercise concluded this week “focused on combined infantry skills and tactics, and counterterrorism operations,” the statement added. The two-week exercise held between January 8-16 comes amid broader signs of re-engagement between the two defence establishments, the report said. Military-to-military ties between Pakistan and the United States appear to be strengthening, marked by renewed joint training, major defence sales and unusually warm rhetoric from President Donald Trump towards Pakistan’s military leadership, it added.

Source: The Hindu January 17, 2026 13:32 UTC