'China Needs To Reflect On Its Own Breach Of Agreements': MEA On Objection To Drills Near LAC

The MEA during a press briefing said that India can exercise with whomsoever it chooses and it doesn't give a veto to third countries on this issue.

India-US joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas'

Source : Twitter/@adgpi

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday refuted China's claim that the joint Indo-US military exercises near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) violate the spirit of the two border agreements. The MEA said that the exercises going on with the US in Auli has nothing to do with the 1993 & 1996 agreements and has asked China to reflect and think about its own breach of these agreements.

 

The MEA during a press briefing said that India can exercise with whomsoever it chooses and it doesn't give a veto to third countries on this issue, ANI reported.

These exercises going on with US in Auli has nothing to do with the 1993 & 1996 agreements. Chinese side needs to reflect & think about its own breach of these agreements.India exercises with whomsoever it chooses &it doesn't give a veto to third countries on this issue: MEA spox pic.twitter.com/0f102TANpy

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2022

 

The 18th round of the India-US joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' is now taking place in Uttarakhand, approximately 100 kilometres from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“The joint military exercise between India and the US close to the LAC at the China-India border violates the spirit of the agreement between China and India in 1993 and 1996,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing, PTI reported.

“It does not serve the mutual trust between China and India”, he said in response to a question posed by a correspondent from Pakistan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry's reference to the 1993 and 1996 agreements is significant because India has stated that the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) attempts to move a large number of troops to the disputed areas along the LAC in eastern Ladakh in May 2020 violated bilateral agreements that state that the boundary question is resolved through peaceful and friendly consultations.

The yearly military exercise between India and the United States aims to exchange best practices, tactics, techniques, and procedures between the militaries of the two countries.

"The 18th Edition of India-US Joint Exercise #YudhAbhyas commenced today at Foreign Training Node, Auli. The aim of the Joint Exercise is to enhance interoperability & share expertise between both Armies in Peace Keeping & Disaster Relief Operations. #IndianArmy #IndiaUSFriendship," the Indian Army tweeted on November 19.

The 18th Edition of India-US Joint Exercise #YudhAbhyas commenced today at Foreign Training Node, Auli. The aim of Joint Exercise is to enhance interoperability & share expertise between both the Armies in Peace Keeping & Disaster Relief Operations.#IndianArmy#IndiaUSFriendship pic.twitter.com/LFQbnsPbP1

— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) November 19, 2022

The previous edition of the exercise was held in October 2021 at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Alaska, according to officials.

According to the government, troops from both countries will rehearse initiating rapid and coordinated assistance efforts in the aftermath of any natural disaster.

The exercise between the armies of India and the United States will allow both forces to share their diverse experiences, abilities, and approaches through information exchange.

(With inputs from agencies)