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India and China are aiming towards a closer bilateral relationship, by initiating a defence dialogue at the beginning of 2010. Accompanied by high-ranking military officials, The Indian Defence Secretary, Pradeep Kumar, is currently on a visit to Beijing for the annual high level bi-lateral talks on defence issues.
Along with the Indian Defence Secretary, the Deputy Chief of General Staff of The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Ma Xiaotian, have jointly presided over various negotiations and are holding a dialogue in Beijing with other military officials. The dialogue will enable both sides to clarify concerns, deepen mutual trust and coordinate stances. Indian Defence secretary Kumar said that, “India was keen to expand the scope of its defence and security cooperation with China.”
During Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to China in 2008, it was decided that dialogue on the Defence Secretary level must take place instead of other interactions to foster closer ties. The PLA’s Deputy Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Ma Xiaotian only visited India in December 2008 to meet, the then defence secretary, Vijay Singh. India reciprocated this move when the Indian Army’s Eastern Command chief, Lt Gen VK Singh, visited China and was taken to Tibet for a visit. In December 2009, The Chinese commander of the Tibetan region, Lt Gen Shu Yu Tai, met defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar in Delhi and was also provided hospitality by the Eastern Command.
The Indian Defence Secretary’s aim of the Chinese visit is to explore the nature of confidence building measures both nations could initiate to reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control. The Defence Secretary and his team are expected to meet a range of top officials in the PLA. Expansion of the extent of joint exercises between both the militaries is also an issue to be discussed. “Trust building between the two country’s militaries is key to easing border disputes”, said the Indian defence Secretary.
All the major issues revolve around the increased threat perception from China in recent months. Besides the border disputes, China has accelerated infrastructure building in border areas causing an alarm to India. It also has an increasing naval presence in the Indian Ocean. The Chinese Navy has sent ships to the waters off Somalia, to protect its own and foreign merchant vessels from attacks by pirates.
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