Mumbai/New Delhi:
China's Defence Minister Gen Liang Guanglie today commenced a five-day visit to India during which he is expected to allay New Delhi's concerns over Chinese military infrastructure build-up along the border and discuss the revival of joint exercises halted four years back.
Gen Liang's visit, the first by a Chinese Defence Minister in eight years, takes place at a time when the two Asian giants are competing vigorously to get a firm grip across the continent for resources.
The Minister arrived in Mumbai, his first halt, where he visited Mahatma Gandhi's memorial 'Mani Bhawan'.
"The Minister was keen to know about Gandhiji and his roots. He seemed to very interested in Gandhi's early life and asked questions with the help of an interpreter," Mani Bhawan executive secretary Ghanshyam Ajgaonkar told PTI.
Gen Liang will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday for wide-ranging discussions with Defence Minister A K Antony on issues relating to border and bolstering military-to-miltary co-operation.
The two sides are expected to exchange views on putting in place more Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), a senior official of the Defence Ministry said.
"We are planning to resume the army-to-army exercise 'Hand-in-Hand' from next year and a final decision in this regard is expected to be taken at the meeting between Gen Liang and his Indian counterpart," the official said.
Military exercises between the two countries had started in 2007 but were put on hold after a series of hiccups in the defence ties between the two sides.
Gen Liang's visit, the first by a Chinese Defence Minister in eight years, takes place at a time when the two Asian giants are competing vigorously to get a firm grip across the continent for resources.
The Minister arrived in Mumbai, his first halt, where he visited Mahatma Gandhi's memorial 'Mani Bhawan'.
"The Minister was keen to know about Gandhiji and his roots. He seemed to very interested in Gandhi's early life and asked questions with the help of an interpreter," Mani Bhawan executive secretary Ghanshyam Ajgaonkar told PTI.
Gen Liang will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday for wide-ranging discussions with Defence Minister A K Antony on issues relating to border and bolstering military-to-miltary co-operation.
The two sides are expected to exchange views on putting in place more Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), a senior official of the Defence Ministry said.
"We are planning to resume the army-to-army exercise 'Hand-in-Hand' from next year and a final decision in this regard is expected to be taken at the meeting between Gen Liang and his Indian counterpart," the official said.
Military exercises between the two countries had started in 2007 but were put on hold after a series of hiccups in the defence ties between the two sides.
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