For the first time Indian and Chinese armies held a Joint Tactical exercise (JET) on the sensitive LAC in Eastern Ladakh on Febuary 6.
Forget incursions, Indian and Chinese armies are breaking new grounds of friendship on the sensitive Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the cold desert of Ladakh.
For the first time Indian and Chinese armies held a Joint Tactical exercise (JET) on the sensitive LAC in Eastern Ladakh on Febuary 6. The exercise is a part of ongoing initiatives being taken by India and China to ensure greater interaction between troops stationed along the LAC in a bid ensure peace and tranquillity on the border.
Codenamed Sino-India Cooperation 2016, the JET is part of Hand-in-Hand series of India-China Joint Exercises which complements the recently conducted border troops Joint Exercise in Sikkim. "The exercise focused on actions to be coordinated to jointly tackle aspects of Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief," said Colonel SD Goswami, defence spokesman at Northern Command Headquarters.
The Indian Army team of 30 personnel was led by Colonel Ritesh Chandra Singh while the Chinese delegation was led by Colonel Qu Yi. "The day-long joint exercise was based on a situation of a national disaster occurring on the border and the subsequent coordination of rescue mission by joint teams of both countries," said Colonel Goswami.
The joint exercise comes two months after Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda visited China on their invitation for discussions on the border management and boundary issues.
The JET is seen as major confidence-building measures between the two armies in a bid to improve border management and boost the Sino-India relations. "The increased interaction amongst Indian and Chinese border troops is a very positive step in enhancing confidence and building relations between the two armies," Col Goswami said.
India shares a 3,488-km border with China while Jammu and Kashmir shares 646 Km of Line of actual control (LAC) with China. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in the country which shares its borders with both Pakistan and China.
However the incursions and transgressions by People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been a cause of worry for the people in Ladakh division, though the number has decreased for the last two years. In September 2015, two armies were engaged in a bitter standoff after Indian troops dismantled the watch tower constructed by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at Burste in Depsang Plains on the LAC.
In April 2013 Indian and PLA were engaged in a major face off when the Chinese troops had crossed 19 kilometre deep inside the Indian Territory at Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector on LAC and set up the tented posts. The 20 day standoff ended on May 5 2013 when troops from both sides withdraw to the pre-incursion positions on the LAC.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "China-India flag")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}