A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Army and Tezpur University on Wednesday for training personnel in Chinese language. The course will be of 16 weeks duration and will be conducted at the premises of Tezpur University, which is situated in Assam's Sonitpur district.
The MoU was signed by HQ4 Corps, or the Gajraj Corps, on behalf of Indian Army and the registrar of the university in presence of Vice Chancellor Professor SN Singh.
Tezpur University, established in 1994 as a Central varsity, is a pioneer in the northeastern region in the teaching of foreign languages, including Chinese.
This Chinese language course will improve the in-house Mandarin expertise and empower the Indian Army personnel to engage with the Chinese military personnel.
"With improved Chinese language skills, the Indian Army personnel will be better empowered to convey their points in a much more cogent manner," the a statement said.
The course will also help in better exchange of views and understanding of the Chinese People Liberation Army's (PLA) version of their activities during various interactions such as commander-level talks, flag meetings, joint exercises and border personnel meetings.
Face-offs between the Indian and Chinese troops often take place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
On December 9, 2022, a face-off between both the armies resulted in minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides.
Chinese troopers often intrude into the Indian territory, ensuing a stand-off between both the sides. While all Chinese PLA personnel cannot speak or understand English, the Army finds it a daunting task to make them understand their language.
Due to the language problem, it takes a long time for things between both sides to settle down. Now, with the Indian Army learning Chinese, it would make things much easier for them.
India has maintained that its relationship with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.