India, China to boost military ties

India, China to boost military ties

INDIA: India and China announced on Monday a series of proposals
to strengthen ties between their armed forces to help bolster a
new friendship between the world's most populous countries, who
went to war decades ago.

The proposals were agreed during talks between Indian Defense
Minister George Fernandes and his counterpart Cao Gangchuan, the
first Chinese defense minister to visit New Delhi in a decade.

"Both sides presented new proposals to strengthen and develop
defense exchanges and confidence building," the Indian defense
ministry said in a statement.

"It was agreed that training, including Chinese language
training in defense institutions in India, sports and cultural
exchanges and friendly interaction between border
personnel...would be increased."

The two sides invited each other's officers to witness
military exercises.

"This would be in the interest of building familiarity, trust
and confidence so as to develop bilateral relations as a whole."
-- Reuters