With military ties back on track and a new border cooperation
agreement signed, the latest round of war games between India and China
commenced in Chengdu Tuesday, with the armies from both sides
participating in an exercise modelled around a United Nations
peacekeeping mission.
The India-China training exercise 'Hand in Hand' is aimed at
honing joint counter-terrorism skills and is the third in a series of
exercises that have taken place on similar themes. On Tuesday, the
opening ceremony of the war game took place at Miaoergang in China in
the presence of Lieutenant General Yung Jin Shan and Lieutenant General
Vinod Bhatia, the Director General Military Operations who is the leader
of the Indian Army observer group.
The war game features 160 personnel of the 16 Sikh Light Infantry
of the Indian Army — a battalion to which the current Army Chief Gen
Bikram Singh belongs — and a similar strength of the 1st Battalion
Infantry Division of the 13 group PLA.
"This exercise is designed to consolidate, exchange tacticians
skills as well as enhance mutual understanding and trust," Lt Gen Yung
Jin Shan said at the opening ceremony, adding that China and India face
similar threats.
The opening ceremony included a display of Chinese martial art by
the PLA contingent and a Gatka martial art (Punjabi martial art) by the
Indian contingent.
