India, China May Resume Military Exercises From 2013

India and China are likely to take a decision over military exercises during the five-day visit of China's Defense Minister General Liang Guanglie, who will arrive on Sunday to discuss more Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to be adopted between the two nations.

"We are planning to resume the Army-to-Army exercise 'Hand-in-Hand' from next year and a final decision in this regard would be taken at the meeting between Gen Liang Guanglie and his Indian counterpart A K Antony," a Defence Ministry official told the Press Trust of India.

The ministry is also expected to hold a discussion with China's defence minister to strengthen military ties. Although the two nations resumed the military exercise in 2010, there are still some problems between two countries.

India and China had stared the military exercise in 2007 itself, but in 2010 when Northern Army Commander Lt Gen B.S.Jaswal was denied visa by the Chinese India decided to stop all bilateral defense exchanges with China.

So far, the countries have engaged in two exercises - one in China in 2007 and second one in India in 2012.

Liang is expected to arrive in India on Sunday afternoon with a 23-member delegation after their stop in Sri Lanka. The Chinese defence minister's visit after eight years raised hope that several prevailing issues between the two nations will meet with a resolution.

According to Reuters, Liang sought to dismiss fears about the "China-threat theory" while addressing the Sri Lankan military. "China attaches great importance to its relations with the South Asian nations, and commits itself to forging harmonious co-existence and mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with them," he said.