Islamabad: More than 150 US infantry troops have arrived in Pakistan for 16-day joint military exercises with the local Army, Defence and embassy officials said on October 15.

The exercises, dubbed "Inspired Gambit", are the first since Pakistan-US military ties were revived after a four-year suspension in the wake of Islamabad's 1998 nuclear tests.

The US infantry company and a Pakistani infantry battalion will start exercises on October 16 and conclude on October 31, the Defence official said, declining to be identified.

The exercises will take place in Punjab province's Gujarat district, bordering India, another official said.

US and Pakistan military exercises were first conducted in 1995 and last held in 1997.

US embassy spokesman Terry White said the US infantry company is from the First Battalion of the 15th infantry regiment of the third brigade, third infantry division, based in Fort Stewart, Georgia.

He confirmed the arrival of the troops but was unable to confirm the location of the exercises.

The US lifted military and economic sanctions against Pakistan late last year in reward for Islamabad's critical co-operation with the US-led military campaign against the Taleban and al-Qaida in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Pakistan provided at least three airbases for coalition troops, opened its air corridors for coalition flights to land-locked Afghanistan, shared intelligence and dropped its support of the Taleban.