RAWALPINDI: The opening ceremony of the 9th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition–2026 was held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Pabbi, with the aim of strengthening military-to-military cooperation among friendly countries.

The inaugural event marked the beginning of a 60-hour-long patrolling exercise and was attended by a senior officer.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a total of 24 international teams from 19 friendly nations, along with military observers, are participating in the competition.

The participating countries include Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, the United States, and Uzbekistan. Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand are attending as observers.

In addition, 16 domestic teams from the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy are also taking part, while observers from the Pakistan Air Force are present during the exercise.

Pakistan Army Team Spirit is a mission-specific and task-oriented professional military exercise hosted annually in Pakistan. It requires high levels of physical fitness, mental resilience, and military expertise, focusing on rapid decision-making during challenging sub-tactical missions in a near-real operational environment.

The exercise aims to promote perseverance through teamwork, strengthen basic soldiering skills, and enhance interoperability among participating forces through the exchange of innovative ideas and best practices.