India,China to kickstart high-level talks with defence parleys

India and China are set to hold a number of high-level dialogues this year on a host of issues, including defence, economic and strategic matters, to improve bilateral ties.
Deputy Chief of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Wang Guanzhong will hold annual Defence Dialogue with the Indian Defence Secretary R K Mathur in New Delhi tomorrow on issues concerning the defence forces including exchanges, training and joint military exercises.
The talks are expected to cover defence exchanges, joint military exercises as well as steps to increase confidence building measures between the two forces in the light of the signing of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) last year to avoid repetition of incursions by Chinese troops in the Depsang Valley in Ladakh region.

The two countries held third round of military exercises last year after a gap of five years. This year's exercises are due to be held in India.
The Defence Dialogue is taking place in the backdrop of 17th round of border talks held in New Delhi headed by National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and China's State Councillor Yang Jiechi.
The two countries would also hold the annual Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here on March 18-19.

Deputy Chief of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia would head the Indian delegation at the talks, officials here told PTI.
The SED which discuses economic and trade relations between the two countries would cover issues like enhancing cooperation in important sectors such as infrastructure and high-technology, handling of the present global economic situation, cooperation in international monetary and financial systems, global commodity markets, sustainable development and climate change.

The two countries are also finalising dates for the annual Strategic Dialogue, an informal talks mechanism that covered a vast areas of mutual interest to be held between top officials of the foreign ministries of both the countries.