BEIJING - China and India are due to start their fourth Annual Defense Dialogue in New Delhi on Thursday, as military leaders from the world's two most populous nations resume their highest-level and most intensive exchanges yet after a freeze of nearly two years.
During the two-day talks, Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, and Indian Defense Secretary Shashikant Sharma are expected to discuss regional security, military exchanges and confidence-building measures on the border between the two nations.
Earlier reports from New Delhi indicated that discussions on a joint military exercise next year would also be part of the talks.
The drill, codenamed "Hand-to-Hand", has been on hold since 2008, when the first bilateral Annual Defense Dialogue was held.
The Telegraph India website said the Annual Defense Dialogue "has assumed greater symbolism" after scheduled talks on border dispute management between the two countries were deferred.
Indian National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon was scheduled to meet State Councilor Dai Bingguo for the talks in New Delhi on Nov 28 and 29. The talks were canceled at the last minute. Neither of the two sides has commented on why.
Earlier, bilateral military exchanges suffered a year-long setback over a visa dispute. India halted military exchanges in July 2010 after China provided a stapled visa instead of a stamped one for the then head of India's Northern Army Command.
【1】 【2】