NEW DELHI, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- India says it will for the first time hold joint army exercises from Sept. 15-19 in Russia to promote better ties between the two armies.

The two countries held the first of such exercises in India last year.

The move is part of an agreement that both nations have signed to bring about improvement in their defense relations, an Indian army official said. He said India's army chief Gen. J J Singh, who would lead a high-level defense delegation, will hold the discussion with the top Russian defense officials on the issues relating to security and defense.

The two countries held several high-level meetings of officials in the run-up to the apex-level meeting on defense cooperation scheduled to be held in October.

A summit meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Premier Manmohan Singh is also proposed by year's end, the official said.

India has expressed concern over the issue of defense purchases with Russia as most of the contracts it entered with have been beset by delay and cost escalation, the official said, adding this is one of the major issues that could be taken up during the official-level talks in Moscow.

The exercises will comprise paratroopers jumping from planes to conduct swift seek-and-destroy operations in the Peskov region. The two sides will field their Special Forces men for this purpose. The previous such exercises held in India were named the Indira series and had a similar profile, the official said.