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India, China push for closer ties
India and China on Tuesday decided to resume joint exercises after a gap of more than five years and step up efforts to maintain peace and tranquility on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during talks between visiting Chinese Defence Minister General Liang Guanglie and Indian counterpart AK Antony here.
The two leaders held 90-minute-long delegation level talks to enhance confidence building measures and defence ties and gave the go-ahead for resumption of joint exercises ‘hand in hand’ at the earliest. Antony also accepted Guanglie’s invitation to visit Beijing next year. The exercise is expected to take place in China next year.
The two sides also agreed to enhance co-operation between navies of both the countries and conduct search and rescue exercises, anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia. Incidentally, India and China are already engaged in coordinated patrol in that region.
Terming the talks as “very fruitful”, Antony later told reporters “we have decided to resume Army-to-Army exercises and I have also accepted the invitation by him (Guanglie) to visit China sometime next year as per mutual convenience.”
Antony also said the two sides held discussions about “improving relations at the border areas and the situation in the South Asia and Asia Pacific region.”
The visiting Chinese Minister said two countries have “reached consensus for cooperation”, adding India and China should make the most of the opportunity presented by the year of “friendship and cooperation” between them in 2012.
Incidentally, he is the first Defence Minister to visit New Delhi after a gap of seven years. Moreover, Antony’s proposed visit will come after seven years with then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee visiting China in 2006.
As regards the joint exercise, the first drill took place in 2007 in Kunming in China and next exercise was held in Belgaum in 2008. However, the exercises were suspended in 2010 by India when China refused to issue visa to the then Northern Command chief Lt General BS Jaswal besides issuing stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources also said Antony and Guanglie discussed the presence of Chinese troops in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) as India has repeatedly expressed its concern over this issue. However, China continues to deny that its troops are in POK.
The two sides also discussed the issue of transgression by Chinese troops into the Indian territory as more than 100 such instances have to come to light in the last eight months, sources said.
Meanwhile, Defence Ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar said the two sides decided to strengthen the high-level exchanges between the two Defence Ministries and armed forces. The two Ministers also discussed the regional security situation and international issues of common interests.
India and China on Tuesday decided to resume joint exercises after a gap of more than five years and step up efforts to maintain peace and tranquility on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during talks between visiting Chinese Defence Minister General Liang Guanglie and Indian counterpart AK Antony here.
The two leaders held 90-minute-long delegation level talks to enhance confidence building measures and defence ties and gave the go-ahead for resumption of joint exercises ‘hand in hand’ at the earliest. Antony also accepted Guanglie’s invitation to visit Beijing next year. The exercise is expected to take place in China next year.
The two sides also agreed to enhance co-operation between navies of both the countries and conduct search and rescue exercises, anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia. Incidentally, India and China are already engaged in coordinated patrol in that region.
Terming the talks as “very fruitful”, Antony later told reporters “we have decided to resume Army-to-Army exercises and I have also accepted the invitation by him (Guanglie) to visit China sometime next year as per mutual convenience.”
Antony also said the two sides held discussions about “improving relations at the border areas and the situation in the South Asia and Asia Pacific region.”
The visiting Chinese Minister said two countries have “reached consensus for cooperation”, adding India and China should make the most of the opportunity presented by the year of “friendship and cooperation” between them in 2012.
Incidentally, he is the first Defence Minister to visit New Delhi after a gap of seven years. Moreover, Antony’s proposed visit will come after seven years with then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee visiting China in 2006.
As regards the joint exercise, the first drill took place in 2007 in Kunming in China and next exercise was held in Belgaum in 2008. However, the exercises were suspended in 2010 by India when China refused to issue visa to the then Northern Command chief Lt General BS Jaswal besides issuing stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources also said Antony and Guanglie discussed the presence of Chinese troops in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) as India has repeatedly expressed its concern over this issue. However, China continues to deny that its troops are in POK.
The two sides also discussed the issue of transgression by Chinese troops into the Indian territory as more than 100 such instances have to come to light in the last eight months, sources said.
Meanwhile, Defence Ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar said the two sides decided to strengthen the high-level exchanges between the two Defence Ministries and armed forces. The two Ministers also discussed the regional security situation and international issues of common interests.
