The opening ceremony of the 9th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition-2026 was held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Pabbi, aimed at enhancing military-to-military cooperation amongst contingents from friendly forces. The inaugural event, which marked the start of 60 hours long Patrolling Exercise, was attended by a Senior Officer.
A total of 24 international teams from 19 friendly countries, along with military observers, are participating in the competition. Participating countries include Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, United States of America, and Uzbekistan. Additionally, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand are participating as observers.
16 domestic teams from Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy, along with observers from the Pakistan Air Force, are also taking part in the exercise.
Pakistan Army Team Spirit is a mission specific and task-oriented professional military exercise, hosted annually in Pakistan. The exercise demands the highest standards of physical fitness, mental resilience, and military expertise, focusing on rapid decision-making while conducting challenging sub-tactical missions in a near real operational environment.
The aim of the exercise is to promote perseverance through team spirit. It seeks to hone basic soldierly attributes while enhancing interoperability among participating forces through mutual sharing of innovative ideas and best practices.