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The fourth round of ADD, held after nearly two
years, was led by India's Defence Secretary Shashikant
Sharma and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)
Deputy Chief of General Staff General Ma Xiaotian.
The two sides also discussed defence exchanges
for 2012 and agreed to "gradually enhance"
the range and scope of their interaction, according
to Indian defence ministry officials.
This agreement has led to the two sides planning
bilateral visits by mid-level military officers
to either country, which was described by officials
as "the net outcome" of the present
round of ADD.
Under this plan, a delegation of a Chinese military
team will be in India this month end, while an
Indian team will visit China in January 2012.
Though the two sides discussed the scope of resuming
their joint army exercise in 2012, no concrete
plans could be arrived at, they said.
The 'Hand-in-Hand' exercise series began in December
2007 when China hosted an Indian Army team and
this was reciprocated by India at Belgaum a year
later. But since then, the exercise could not
be held due to China's engagement with major events
such as 2008 Olympics and 60 years of People's
Republic in 2009.
At the three-hour meeting, India also put forward
a few suggestions for the confidence building
measures (CBM) along the Line of Actual Control
(LAC) based on their 2005 protocol for maintaining
peace and tranquility, which the Chinese side
agreed to consider, officials said.
"The fourth ADD was held, breaking the ice
after the bilateral military ties had been frozen
for a while," the official said, without
mentioning the unpleasant improper visa episode
for an Indian General commanding troops in Jammu
and Kashmir in 2010 that derailed their military-to-military
engagement.
The fourth defence dialogue comes after nearly
two years -- the third round was held in Beijing
in January 2010 -- following a thaw in their bilateral
relations after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh visited Sanya, China, to attend the first
BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa) group meet in April this year.
"The meeting was conducted in an atmosphere
of cordiality and both sides were frank and constructive
in their approach during the deliberations,"
an official added.
The two countries had established the ADD under
the provisions of a memorandum of understanding
for 'Exchanges and Cooperation in the Field of
Defence' signed in May 2006. The first ADD was
held in November 2007.
"Both sides agreed that the provisions of
the 2005 protocol for implementation of CBMs on
the LAC should be strictly adhered to by both
sides so that peace and tranquillity is maintained
in the border areas," the official said.
India is already mulling having a protocol with
other nations to prevent skirmishes between their
naval warships on the high seas.
Indian and Chinese warships have had unpleasant
incidents in the past, including one two years
ago when China accused an Indian submarine of
having tracked their warships, heading into anti-piracy
operations in the Gulf of Aden, and forced it
to surface.
"There was no new CBM that has been suggested.
But this fourth round of ADD itself has acted
as a great CBM," the official said.
It was also noted at the meeting that the strengthening
of the institutional mechanism for border discussions,
which is expected to be operationalised soon through
the establishment of a working-level mechanism,
would improve communications on important border-related
issues.
The Special Representatives level talks on border
dispute between India's National Security Adviser
Shivshankar Menon and Chinese Special Representative
Dai Bingguo scheduled in November were cancelled
at the last minute as Beijing was miffed over
a Buddhist conference in India being addressed
by the Dalai Lama.
Apart from sharing their perspectives on the
regional and global security issues, it was noted
that the existing CBMs on the LAC were successful
in maintaining peace and tranquillity on the borders
and it was decided that such measures would continue.
"Both sides agreed that the process of dialogue
and communication should be strengthened at various
levels to ensure stability in the border areas,"
the official added.
General Ma Xiaotian also called on Defence Minister
A.K. Antony, and Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal
Verma, who is also the Chairman of the Chiefs
of Staff Committee.
The Indian defence minister also extended an
invitation to his Chinese counterpart to visit
India at a mutually convenient time.
(IANS)
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