Ahead of this week’s annual defence dialogue, China has expressed its readiness to work with India to link its ambitious Maritime Silk Route plans with India’s “Mausam” project in a bid to address New Delhi’s strategic concerns and derive “common benefits.”
Defence secretary RK Mathur will lead the Indian defence delegation at the talks due to be held here on April 8-9 during which the two countries would discuss a wide range of measures to step up cooperation between the defence forces of the two countries.
Significantly, ahead of the key meeting Chinese foreign ministry said China looks forward to stepping up interaction with India to identify the meeting point for their strategic interests in South Asia, especially the Indian Ocean region.
“China is ready to work with South Asian countries, including India, Sri Lanka, to strengthen policy communication, identify the meeting point of their development strategies, explore effective ways of mutually beneficial cooperation and common benefit of the region, countries and the people,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told PTI.
She was responding to a question on China’s ambassador to India Le Yucheng’s recent comments to media that China wants to have communication with India to link the “belt and road” initiatives with New Delhi’s “Spice Route” and “Mausam” projects.
During last year’s defence dialogue, the two sides discussed prospects of joint naval exercises in addition to the “Hand in Hand” exercises being held annually between the two armies to promote military-to-military relations.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
