In response to China’s objections to the joint India-US military exercise in Uttarakhand’s Auli, India made it clear on Thursday that it does not allow third countries to veto its decisions regarding military exercises.
China has raised objections to the military exercise, claiming that it goes against agreements made in 1993 and 1996 between the two countries.
China criticized the exercise, taking place around 100 km from its border, stating that it goes against the spirit of the agreements and does not contribute to building bilateral trust.
The External Affairs Ministry (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi emphasized that China should consider its own violations of the 1993 and 1996 agreements. India has the right to conduct exercises with any country of its choosing without seeking approval from third countries.
The 1993 agreement focuses on maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the India-China Border Areas, while the 1996 pact involves confidence-building measures in the military field along the LAC with China.
The 18th India-US joint military exercise, known as “Yudh Abhyas,” is currently taking place in Auli.
When asked about the protests in China over its “zero Covid” policy, Bagchi declined to comment, expressing hope that humanity can overcome the Covid pandemic soon. He also downplayed reports of Russia sending a list of items for import to India, stating that there may not be any formal agreement or actual supply of the items mentioned.
Bagchi mentioned ongoing efforts to enhance trade with Russia and urged not to read too much into the situation.
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