Indian, Chinese troops to hold joint exercises in Bathinda this year

[skullMAN]

India and China have decided to conduct a joint military
exercise at Bathinda, less than 100 kms from Pakistan.
The exercise, planned for the second half of the year, will be
the first-ever foray of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of
China close to India’s western borders.
Since 2007, the two Armies have conducted three joint
exercises — two in China and one at Belgaum in Karnataka.
Now is the turn of India to host the PLA. The decision to
conduct the exercise at Bathinda was finalised at a series of
meetings held recently. The dates and ambit of the exercise
will be decided after coordination meetings between the two
Armies, sources said.
Bathinda is the base of the Indian Army’s 10 Corps and is
dominated by mechanised and armoured regiments. A
major IAF base, it houses leading fighters like Sukhoi 30MKI
and the Mi-17V5 helicopters. The exercise assumes
significance as it will be conducted less than 100 km east of
Pakistan.
The PLA often conducts joint exercises with Pakistan close
to the India- Pakistan border, the last being held near
Rawalpindi in Pakistan last month.
Sources said India and China had so far focused on counter-
terrorism steps. The choice at Bathinda signifies that some
armoured component could be added. Both the countries
are committed to expand the scope of military relations and
widen the ambit of joint exercises under the Border Defence
Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) signed in Beijing in October
2013.
New Delhi and Beijing are worried at the outcome of the
withdrawal of the US-led forces from Afghanistan in June
2014. Both countries have faced terrorism from Islamic
radicals. China’s restive Xinjiang province located north of
Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-dominated area. Both
countries have been discussing Afghanistan and the
scenario emerging in the wake of the withdrawal of US-led
troops.
India and China are rivals competing for global resources.
They have an old border dispute pending since 1846 when
the British first tried to draw boundaries. This often leads to
tense situations along the un-demarcated Line of Actual
Control running up to 3,488 kms.