Indian and Chinese troops are set to take part in military exercises in Russia later this month, the first such major war games to be hosted by Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February.
China’s Defence Ministry in Beijing on Wednesday in a statement announced the participation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops in the exercises, adding that “India, Belarus, Tajikistan, Mongolia and other countries will also participate”.
India has also indicated its participation in the war games. There was no response from the Indian Army on Wednesday to questions on India’s participation.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said last month that the Vostok (East) 2022 exercises will be held from August 30 to September 5 in 13 training grounds in Russia’s Eastern Military District, and that the manoeuvres would include units of airborne troops, long-range bombers and military cargo aircraft.
It remains unclear if Indian and Chinese troops will be present together or if they will take part in different drills which will be spread across the 13 different training grounds.
The Chinese Defence Ministry statement noted the exercises were “unrelated to the current international and regional situation” and were aimed at “deepening the pragmatic and friendly cooperation with the militaries of participating countries, enhancing the level of strategic coordination of all participating parties, and enhancing the ability to deal with various security threats”.
Indian and Chinese troops have remained in a stand-off that has lasted for more than two years along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh following the transgressions by the PLA in April 2020. Disengagement has taken place in some areas along the LAC but talks to restore the status quo in the remaining friction areas in Hot Springs, Demchok and Depsang have been slow-moving.
The Chinese defence ministry said the exercise is “unrelated” to the current international and regional conditions. The Russian government confirmed the “Vostok” (East) drills last month without sharing details.
The Chinese defence ministry confirmed the exercise and shared some more details on Wednesday. “In accordance with the annual plan for cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries and the bilateral agreements, the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) will soon delegate and send part of its forces to Russia for participation in the Vostok-2022 exercise,” the Chinese statement said.
“China’s participation aims at enhancing strategic coordination among the participating nations and strengthening the ability to respond to security threats,” the ministry statement said, according to official media.
Reacting to the development, former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd) said: “I don’t attach too much significance to India and China taking part in these multi-nation drills against the backdrop of the Ladakh standoff. What will be more significant is restarting the India-China bilateral Hand-in-Hand exercise, which does not appear likely at the moment.”
In a statement in July, the Russian government said troops from the country’s eastern military district will take part in the drills and that they will be held across 13 military facilities.
“The drills will bring together the airborne forces, long-range and military transport aircraft and also military contingents of other countries,” the Russian statement, quoted by the official news agency Tass, said.
Russia’s eastern military district includes part of the remote Siberian region and its headquarters is in Khabarovsk, located some 30km from the Chinese border.
Tens of thousands of troops from India and China are deployed on either side of LAC in eastern Ladakh as the two countries struggle to resolve the worst chill in ties in decades.
The only military exercise held between India and China, the counterterrorism “Hand-in-Hand” drill, remains suspended.
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