India and China have agreed to resume military exercises, stalled since 2010. Talking to reporters following the Defence Minister Delegation level talks in New Delhi this morning, Defence Minister AK Antony said that it will take place in China next year and then in India in 2014. He will also visit China next year.
General Liang Guanglie, who is the first Chinese Defence Minister to visit India in eight years, said that consensus has been reached on many issues of mutual concern.
It is believed that during the talks New Delhi expressed concerns over Chinese military infrastructure build-up along the border and discussed more Confidence Building Measures . General Liang arrived in Mumbai on Sunday on a five-day visit to the country.
Before the official meeting started, the Chinese Defence Minister thanked his Indian counterpart for the good arrangements made during his visit to Mumbai and Agra.
The Chinese Defence Minister is also to hold a meeting with the Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne at the South Block before calling on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Our Correspondent reports that Military exercises between the two countries had started in 2007 but were put on hold in 2010 after a series of hiccups in the defence ties between the two sides. The first exercise was held in Kunming, China in 2007 and the second in Belgaum in India in 2008. The third edition was to have been held in China in 2010 but has since remained stalled. After the denial of visa to the then Northern Army Commander, Lt. Gen. BS Jaswal by the Chinese in 2010, New Delhi had frozen all bilateral defence exchanges with Beijing. General Liang's visit is the first by a Chinese Defence Minister to India since General Cao Gangchuan's trip in March 2004. A Defence Minister-level visit to China from India had last taken place in May 2006.