The talks between the two neighbours came at a time when both the countries are rapidly expanding their military capabilities and footprint. The Chinese delegation at the annual defence dialogue was led by Gen Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of General Staff in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The Indian delegation was headed by Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma. The last dialogue between the two countries was held in January 2010. In 2005, both the countries had agreed to launch a series of confidence building measures on the military side, seeking to bury the ghosts of 1962 war.
The two neighbours started cautiously with two small-scale but symbolic “hand-in-hand” exercises in Kunming in 2007 and Belgaum in 2008. But the nascent relation came to a screeching halt in 2010 when China refused to open its door to Northern Army Commander Lt Gen B S Jamwal, who was to visit China as part of an official delegation.
Beijing refused him visa arguing that since it considered Kashmir a disputed territory, the visa could not be granted. New Delhi launched a strong diplomatic protest and suspended all military CBMs.
It also retaliated by denying visa to three PLA officers, who wanted to come for short visits to National Defence College in New Delhi and Army Education Corps Training College and Centre at Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh. However, earlier this year, the elephant and dragon decided to bury the hatchet and carry on with the annual defence dialogue, which assumes additional diplomatic significance following the last minute cancellation of the 15th round of boundary talks between the Special Representatives of two countries.
On Friday, India and China agreed to further the military exchanges even though a decision on the resumption of hand-in-hand exercises was awaited.
“A Chinese delegation will visit India this month and an Indian delegation will visit China in January,” said a defence ministry spokesperson.
Peace and tranquility
India also made some suggestions about the maintainance of peace and tranquility in the Sino-Indian border that the Chinese side agreed to consider.
The two countries agreed that the provisions of 2005 protocol for implementation of CBMs on the Line of Actual Control should be strictly adhered to.
It was noted that strengthening of institutional mechanism for broader discussions, would improve communication on important border related issues.