In October, the two armies conducted a joint exercise along the Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh region of J&K. ani file

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 11

India and China are readying for a joint military exercise and have decided on a trajectory to increase military interactions and ensure stability along the disputed boundary between the two nations.A two-week joint military exercise begins on November 16 to “understand and practice” methods to tackle the transnational terror. The exercise is being conducted under the Pune-based Southern Army Command.This will be the sixth edition of the “hand-in-hand” exercise, first since December when Beijing passed a law authorising its military to venture overseas on counter-terror operations and even sent off 5,000 troops to tackle the Islamic State in Syria.Both countries separately face transnational terror in their respective regions — India in Kashmir and China in Xinjiang (lying north of J&K in India). Both nations also have collective threat of their own youth joining the IS. The scope of the exercise will include evolution of joint drills for conduct of counter-terror operations and include a live drill to neutralise a terrorist.Besides, a high-level India-China Defence and Security Consultation has been conducted in New Delhi earlier this week. Indian Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar led the India delegations in talks with Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of China’s Central Military Commission and the Indian.The Chinese side expressed its commitment to join hands with the Indian Army to maintain the exchanges on border defence, improve the mechanism of communication and strengthen border management and control so as to safeguard peace and stability in their border areas, he added. The two are working to introduce better measures to boost communication and coordination between border guarding forces.

INS Vikramaditya ready to go back to sea

Kochi: INS Vikramaditya, the largest warship operated by India and the third aircraft carrier inducted into the Navy, is getting ready to go back to sea as she completed her “refit works” at Cochin Shipyard Limited here. The ship, 285 metres long and 60 metres wide with 23 decks, was drydocked on September 23. PTI