In the joint army exercise named Prabal Dostyk 2017 held in Himachal Pradesh, the Indo partnership was between India and which country?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to current affairs and defence related general knowledge. Joint military exercises are important for strategic cooperation, training, and diplomatic relations between countries. The exercise Prabal Dostyk 2017 was a notable Indo foreign army exercise held in Himachal Pradesh, and exams often ask with which country India conducted this drill.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The exercise name given is Prabal Dostyk 2017.
It is described as an Indo joint army exercise held in Himachal Pradesh.
Options list Kazakhstan, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal as possible partner countries.
We assume the question targets the correct pairing India Kazakhstan for this specific event.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to associate the unique exercise name with the partner country. The word Dostyk is not an Indian language word; it resembles Central Asian usage. It appears in information about defence cooperation between India and Kazakhstan. By recalling this association, we can differentiate it from other exercises India holds with Japan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal under different names.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Remember that India conducts various joint exercises such as Malabar, Surya Kiran, Maitree, and Prabal Dostyk with different nations. Step 2: Prabal Dostyk is specifically linked in news reports and exam notes to the India Kazakhstan army exercise. Step 3: Exercises with Japan are usually naval or maritime and are known by other names, not Prabal Dostyk. Step 4: Exercises with Sri Lanka and Nepal also use separate names that reflect regional cooperation but do not use the term Dostyk. Step 5: Therefore the blank Indo country in Indo Dash Prabal Dostyk 2017 must be Kazakhstan.

Verification / Alternative check:
Defence and current affairs compilations list Prabal Dostyk as a bilateral military exercise between the armies of India and Kazakhstan aimed at strengthening counter insurgency skills and interoperability. The location in Himachal Pradesh and the year 2017 appear in the same reports. This independent confirmation supports the selection of Kazakhstan and rules out confusion with other bilateral drills.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Japan conducts prominent naval exercises such as Malabar with India, often in partnership with the United States, but the name Prabal Dostyk is not used for these. Sri Lanka and India conduct exercises like Mitra Shakti, again with distinct names. Nepal and India carry out the Surya Kiran series. Since each partnership has its own exercise title, choosing Japan, Sri Lanka, or Nepal for Prabal Dostyk 2017 would mix up different events and be incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to guess based only on regional closeness, such as assuming Nepal or Sri Lanka because Himachal Pradesh is in India and the exam is Indian. Another error is to assume that all Indo exercises with unusual names involve nearby neighbours, ignoring Central Asian partners. To avoid this, candidates should memorize at least one or two key exercises and the corresponding countries.

Final Answer:
In the army exercise Prabal Dostyk 2017 held in Himachal Pradesh, the Indo partner country was Kazakhstan.