India, China Hold 'Hand-In-Hand' Military Exercise in Shillong Amid CAB Tensions in Northeast

Shillong, December 15: Troopers of the Indian Army and China's People Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a bilateral military exercise in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, amid the ongoing tensions in Northeast over Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), 2019. The joint military drill, aimed at improving counter-insurgency operations, involved top PLA officials Major General Li Shizhong and Senior Col Wang Weijun from the Tibet Military command. CAB Protest: Amit Shah Cancels Visit to Shillong For North East Police Academy Programme, Heads to Jharkhand.

The exercise was focused on honing skills in rock craft, physical endurance and house clearance drills in counter terrorism environment. Exercise aims to enrich both contingents from each other’s experiences in counter-terrorism operations, said an Indian official.

Update by ANI

The PLA troopers arrived in India on December 6, to take part in the 15-day drill titled as the 'Hand-in-Hand 2019' exercise. The 14-day exercise is aimed at practicing joint planning and conduct of counter-terror operations in semi- urban terrain, according to defence spokesperson Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh.

The exercise is focused on training through various lectures and drills associated with counter-terrorist handling and firing with each others' weapons, battle obstacles course, special heliborne operations and case studies of various operations carried out in counter-terror environment, the officials said.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 14, 2019 02:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).