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India, China agree to expand military cooperation

Friday, 24 August 2018 9:28 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 24 August 2018 10:28 AM ]

China's Defense Minister Wei Fenghe shakes hands with Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as he attends a guard of honor ceremony at the Indian Ministry of Defense in New Delhi on August 23, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

India and China have agreed to expand their military ties and enhance interaction to ensure peace on their common border, India said after a meeting between the old rivals' defense ministers.

Relations between the Asian giants were strained last year over a 73-day military face-off in a remote, high-altitude stretch of their disputed Himalayan border.

But the neighbors have over the recent months been working on mending ties.

PressTV-China, India leaders meet to repair strained ties

President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in central China Friday as they seek to repair ties that were marred by a border dispute last year.

On Thursday, Wei had extensive discussions with his Indian counterpart, Nirmala Sitharaman, the Indian government said.

"It was decided to expand the engagement between their armed forces relating to training, joint exercises and other professional interactions," the government said in a statement issued late on Thursday.

This file photo taken on July 10, 2008 shows a Chinese soldier (L) gesturing next to an Indian soldier at the Nathu La border crossing between India and China in India's northeastern Sikkim state. (Photo by AFP)

The ministers also discussed their border and agreed to implement "confidence building measures" to ensure the maintenance of peace, including the early operationalization of a hotline between their armed forces, India said.

India and China fought a war in 1962 and the unresolved dispute over stretches of their 3,500 km (2,200 miles) border has clouded relations ever since.

But the two big Asian economies share similar positions on a host of issues including concerns about US tariffs.

(Source: Reuters)

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