The bilateral military exercise named “Prabal Dosty”, held in November 2017, was conducted between which two countries?

Introduction / Context:
Modern armed forces regularly take part in joint military exercises with partner countries to improve coordination, share best practices, and build diplomatic ties. India conducts many such exercises with different nations, each with its own code name. The exercise called Prabal Dosty, sometimes written as Prabal Dostyk, is one of these, and it involves cooperation with a Central Asian country.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The exercise name is Prabal Dosty and it took place in November 2017.

• It is described as a bilateral military exercise, meaning between two countries.

• All options list India paired with a different Central or South Asian country.

• Only one pair reflects the actual partner country for this specific exercise.

Concept / Approach:
To answer correctly, it is helpful to be familiar with the names and partners of different Indian military exercises. For example, some exercises are with Russia, some with the United States, and some with Central Asian nations. The name Prabal Dosty is associated with cooperation and friendship with Kazakhstan, a key Central Asian partner for India in defence and energy matters.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the term Dosty or Dostyk is derived from a word meaning friendship, reflecting friendly ties between the participating nations. Step 2: Recall that Prabal Dosty is linked in defence news reports with joint training between India and Kazakhstan. Step 3: Examine the options and find the pair India and Kazakhstan, which matches that information. Step 4: Note that India conducts separate exercises with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, but not under the name Prabal Dosty for the year in question. Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is India and Kazakhstan.

Verification / Alternative check:
Press releases from defence ministries and standard current affairs compilations for competitive exams list Prabal Dosty as a joint military exercise between India and Kazakhstan. They often mention its aim of improving interoperability and counter insurgency training. No such official references link this particular exercise name with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, or Turkmenistan for November 2017, which confirms the correct pair.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• India and Afghanistan do have security cooperation, but that cooperation is not normally associated with the Prabal Dosty exercise name.

• India and Uzbekistan engage in defence contacts, yet the exercise in question is not known by this specific name for that pair.

• India and Turkmenistan also maintain diplomatic relations, but again Prabal Dosty is not the recognised label for a bilateral exercise between them in 2017.

Common Pitfalls:
Because many Indian exercises use friendly sounding names and are with countries in the same extended region, aspirants sometimes confuse which name belongs to which partner country. A good approach is to maintain a short list of key pairings, for example linking Prabal Dosty with Kazakhstan and other named exercises with their own specific partners. Regular revision of these lists helps avoid last minute confusion in exams.

Final Answer:
The exercise Prabal Dosty was conducted between India and Kazakhstan.