China, Iran and Russia to hold 'Security Belt' military exercise in Indian Ocean

"The aim is to strengthen military mutual trust and foster pragmatic cooperation among the naval forces of the participating countries," the Chinese defense ministry said in a statement.

It's the 7th "Security Belt" exercise, and will include drills that focus on striking maritime targets, damage control, as well as joint search and rescue, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

China is scheduled to dispatch the Baotou, its most powerful guided missile destroyer to participate in the exercise.

This year's exercise is scheduled to take place in the Iranian port of Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman coast.

Officials from the Azerbaijan Republic, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the UAE, and Sri Lanka will monitor the exercise, Iranian state media reported.

Last year's exercises included the armed rescue of hijacked merchant vessels and firing on targets at sea, the Chinese ministry reported.