Indian Army hosts Chinese PLA in Kashmir

The Indian Army on Saturday hosted the Chinese PLA at a special border personnel meeting point in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir on India's 69th Independence Day.

"On the occasion of the 69th Independence Day, the Indian Army hosted the Chinese PLA to a special border personnel meeting at Chushul in eastern Ladakh," Colonel S.D. Goswami, spokesman of the army's Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command told IANS here.

"Addressing both delegations during the function, the Indian side extolled the virtues of maintaining peace and stability on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Chinese delegation was led by Senior Colonel Liu Geping."

Besides the traditional dances and songs, an old form of martial art called 'Gatka' was performed by the troops and the 'Dare Devils' of the Indian Army Signal Regiment performed acrobatics on their motorcycles, Goswami said.

A volleyball match was also organised and the Chinese delegation participated in all the events with equal zeal and enthusiasm.

"The day also marked a momentous occasion in India-China relations as a new border personnel meeting point was also operationalised in line with the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement signed between the two countries in October 2013 and would go a long way in ensuring peace and stability along the LAC in eastern Ladakh," he said.

"This will be the northern-most meeting point between the armies of both countries on the Line of Actual Control near Daulat Beg Oldie," Goswami added.

"In the inaugural border personnel meeting at Daulat Beg Oldie on the occasion of Indian Independence Day, a People's Liberation Army delegation took part in the celebrations hosted by the Indian side."