News

This will be the fourth joint training exercise by the Indian Army with People’s Liberation Army of China. 

 

While the second edition of the exercise was held at Belgaum in 2008, it has been conducted twice in China in 2007 & 2013.

The aim of the joint training is to share the drills and practices learnt while tackling insurgency and terrorism, thereby promoting healthy military to military relations between the two Armies and developing joint strategies of conducting operations in a counter terrorism environment. 

 

Forming part of the different levels of the military to military engagement across the entire spectrum of operations, this exercise will enrich the two contingents in further honing basic military skills.

The exercise is planned at the company level with respective battalion headquarters controlling the training. 

 

The training and manoeuvres, to be conducted at Aundh Military Cantonment, College of Military Engineering and firing ranges at Dighi, Pune are to be supervised by a Joint Directing Panel comprising senior officials of both the nations. 

 

Helicopters of Indian Air Force will also be taking active part in the various maneuvers planned in the exercise.

Senior military observers of both the countries will be attending the Opening Ceremony scheduled to be held at Aundh Military Station on 17 November 2014.

 

It is noteworthy to mention that the exercise comes at a time when the soldiers of both the countries were locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the border not very long ago after about 1000 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops crossed Line of Actual Control (LAC) about five km into Indian Territory and reached Ladakh’s Chumur sector leading to a diplomatic tension between these two nuclear-powered neighbouring nations.

 

To combat the worst such incursion in years, India had also sent 1,500 soldiers, leading to an unprecedented face-off at the border.

 

After many round of talks and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s assurance, the Chinese troops retreated.