After Doklam stand-off, armies of India & China to partake in joint military drill

The armies of India and China will participate in a joint military 'Exercise Hand-in-Hand' at Chengdu in China from December 10 to 23, the Indian Army said in a statement.

Both the countries had given the joint military drill a miss last year following the Doklam stand-off between the armies of India and China.

The aim of the exercise is to build and promote close relations between the armies of both the countries and enhance the ability of joint exercise commander to take military contingents of both nations under command, the statement said.

It will also involve tactical-level operations in an international counter-insurgency or counter-terrorist environment under the United Nations mandate.

Troops from the Indian side have been selected from 11 SIKHLI of Indian Army, while those from a unit of Tibetan military district will also take part in the exercise.

"Exercise Hand-in-Hand 2018 will go a long way to further cement relationship between both the nations and will act as a catalyst in bringing bonhomie at grassroots levels between the armies of both countries," the statement said.

The exercise will be conducted from December 11 in which both the contingents will establish a Joint Command Headquarter and conduct joint exercise on anti-terrorist operations, it added.