India, China hold talks to boost defence ties

Beijing, April 8

Top defence officials of India and China today held preliminary talks to improve relations between the two militaries ahead of their Annual Defence Dialogue (ADD).

A high-powered Indian military delegation headed by Defence Secretary RK Mathur, which arrived here today, held preliminary talks as the two sides had a wide agenda for the ADD besides exchanging views on a number of regional and global security issues of mutual concern.

The seventh round of the ADD will be formally held on April 10 and aims at improving military ties.

The talks between the top military officials were held ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China expected to take place in the middle of May during which he would hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on critical issues like the boundary dispute as well as forging closer trade ties with more Chinese investments.

Today's preliminary talks were held days after two recent face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh in the same area where People's Liberation Army (PLA) had pitched camps in April, 2013, leading to a three week-long standoff.

According to Indian officials, the Chinese troops came to Burtse and Depsang areas in north of Ladakh, first on March 20 and then on March 28, apparently as part of attempts to reach the Old Patrol Point, the last established base of Indian security forces.

China says such incidents take place because of different perceptions of the LAC.

The two sides were expected to review the implementation of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) reached two years ago to address aggressive patrolling by both sides along the disputed border.

Both countries recently held the 18th round of border talks in New Delhi aimed at resolving the issue that was presided over by Special Representatives Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

The contention in the border talks lies in China's claim that the border dispute is confined only to 2,000 kms mostly in Arunachal Pradesh while India asserts that the dispute covered the western side of the border spanning to about 4,000 kms, especially the Aksai Chin area annexed by China in 1962 war.

The ADD is a platform for extensive talks between the two militaries on the security situation in South Asia, the Asia- Pacific and the Indian Ocean region and sharing of perspectives about the evolving regional security situation.

Ahead of the talks, China has expressed its readiness to work with India to "identify meeting points" to link up its Maritime Silk Road plans with India's 'Mausam' project in a bid to address New Delhi's strategic concerns about Beijing's activities in the Indian Ocean and derive "common benefits". — PTI

Box

Precursor to PM visit

The talks come ahead of the seventh round of the Annual Defence Dialogue on April 10 that aims at improving military ties. The two sides exchanged views on regional and global security issues of mutual concern

PM Narendra Modi is also slated to visit China in May during which he will take up critical issues such as the boundary dispute with Chinese President Xi Jinping