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Beijing: Indian and Chinese soldiers will begin a week-long multi-national exercise in Russia later this month, with the two militaries conducting joint military exercises against the backdrop of ongoing tensions on the eastern border of Ladakh and the war in Ukraine.
China’s Defense Ministry said in a brief statement on Wednesday that the exercise, led by host Russia, will include troops from India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan and other countries besides China. The exercise, which will take place at various Russian military installations from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, is likely to be closely watched around the world, given Russia’s ongoing incursion into Ukraine.
While New Delhi’s foreign ministry has made no official comment, people familiar with the matter said the two countries have sent troops to such exercises in the past to fulfill multilateral commitments to cooperate on defense and security issues.
Indian Army officials also declined to comment officially on the upcoming drills, but said India and China had participated in multiple multinational exercises, including last year’s drills in Russia.
China’s Defense Ministry said the exercise “has nothing to do” with the current international and regional situation. The Russian government confirmed the “Vostok” (Vostok) exercise last month, but gave no details.
China’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday confirmed the exercise and shared more details. “According to the annual cooperation plan and bilateral agreement between the two militaries, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army will soon authorize and send some troops to Russia to participate in the Orient 2022 exercise,” the Chinese side said in a statement.
“China’s participation is aimed at strengthening strategic coordination among participating countries and enhancing their ability to respond to security threats,” the foreign ministry statement said, according to state media.
In response to the development, Lt Gen DS Hooda (retired), former commander of the Northern Army, said: “In the context of the Ladakh standoff, I do not pay much attention to the participation of India and China in these multinational exercises. What is more important is to restart the bilateral hand in hand between India and China. Exercise, it seems unlikely at the moment.”
The Russian government said in a July statement that troops from the country’s eastern military district would participate in the exercise, which will be held at 13 military installations.
“The exercises will bring together airborne troops, long-range and military transport aircraft, as well as military contingents from other countries,” the official news agency TASS quoted a Russian statement as saying.
Russia’s Eastern Military District, which includes part of the remote Siberia region, has its headquarters in Khabarovsk, about 30 kilometers from the Chinese border.
Tens of thousands of Indian and Chinese troops are deployed on both sides of the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh as the two countries grapple with the worst cold war in relations in decades.
The only military exercise between India and China, the anti-terrorism “Hand-in-Hand” exercise, remains suspended.
The eighth and final round was held in Umroi, Meghalaya in December 2019.
(input from HTC in New Delhi)
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