Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 12: After blocking India’s bid to get membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and declaration of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Moulana Masood Azhar as terrorist by the United Nations, China will be holding joint military exercises with the Indian Army for 12 days at Aundh, Pune in Maharashtra next month.
Though the military exercises between the two neighbours have been going on every year since 2013, this would be for the first time when the Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China will include anti-terrorism drills as part of the exercises, scheduled for 12 days between November 15 to 27, apart from other normal exercises, official sources told the Excelsior.
The exercises are being seen as major Confidence Building Measure (CBM) between the two countries as they come close on the heels of China blocking India’s membership to NSG followed by vetoing the Indian bid at the United Nations to get Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar declared as UN-designated terrorist.
Prior to the joint military exercises, which have been code-named `Hand-in-Hand’, the Sino-Indian militaries will be holding joint tactical exercises along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh and Sikkim, where the two neighbours share un-demarcated LAC. The joint tactical exercises were also held in February this year.
Sources said the Governments of both the countries, mainly their Defence Ministries and Army Headquarters, have given nod to the joint military exercises.
The world’s largest (PLA) and second-largest (Indian) Armies will see participation from over 170 troops from the recently-upgraded Tibet Military Command of People’s Liberation Army and Maratha Light Infantry soldiers.
Armed with weaponry ranging from 12.7mm anti-material rifles and flame-throwers to “corner-shooting systems” and laser-blinding devices, the PLA troops will practice counter-terrorism drills with the Indian troops, sources said, adding that both sides would use specialized weapons in the training especially those used in anti-terrorism operations.
The exercise will also focus on “trans-national terrorism”, with China grappling with the expanding influence of jihadist group Islamic State in Xinjiang as India deals with cross-border militancy actively fuelled by Pakistan.
While all kind of exercises to be part of the joint venture of Sino-Indian troops, the major focus of this year’s `Hand-in-Hand’ will be anti-terrorism exercises. While India was worst sufferer of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, some provinces of China had, of late, started facing the terror threat,” sources pointed out.
Admitting that Sino-Indian joint military exercises next month were major setback for Pakistan, sources pointed out that joint venture of the two Armies would go long-way in promoting relations between the two neighbours.
Troops of both sides will undergo intensive joint training, which will include displays, demonstrations, and a comprehensive joint exercise.
The purpose of the exercise is to develop joint operating capability, share useful experience in counter-terrorism operations and to promote friendly exchanges between the Armies of India and China, sources said.
Sources said brushing aside irritants, India is stepping up its defence ties with China with more military exercises, top-level visits, hotlines and other CBMs, while also boosting its military deterrence along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in all five States including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim
Prior to this, sources said, the joint tactical exercises between Indian Army and PLA troops will be held at Eastern Ladakh and Sikkim along the LAC by the end of this month. However, these exercises would be confined to the local level and would last only couple of days. These exercises were extension of last year’s joint drill by the two Armies to strengthen bilateral relations at the local level.
Last year, the 10-day joint military exercises between Indian and China were held at China’s Kunming city in which the two countries had shared experiences in counter-terrorism operations.
The first drill was held in southwest China’s Yunnan Province in 2007, followed by drills in Belgaum in Karnataka in 2008. The third round was held in southwest China’s Sichuan in 2013, followed by fourth in Pune in 2014. The two countries didn’t hold any exercises for five years between 2008 and 2013 due to strained relations.
However, according to sources, India and China now proposed to make joint military exercises an annual feature with two countries hosting them alternately. Last year, the exercises were held in China and this year, they would be hosted by India.
While the LoC with Pakistan remains volatile with almost daily exchanges of fire, the LAC with China has not seen a single shot being fired for decades. There has also been a sharp decline in troop face-offs between India and China after the two inked the border defence cooperation agreement in October 2013.
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