India rejects Chinese objections on Indo-US military exercise near LAC

India on Thursday dismissed China's objection to the joint India-US military exercise near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on Uttarakhand's Auli. New Delhi said that it does not give veto to third countries on such issues.

India's foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the joint exercises with the United States in Auli have nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements with China.

"But since these were raised by the Chinese side, I must emphasise that the Chinese side needs to reflect and think about its own breach of the agreements of 1993 and 1996," Bagchi said.

No one can have a veto on India- US ties, says MEA Spox on China comments on India- US exercises — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) December 1, 2022

"India exercises with whomever it chooses to and it does not give a veto to third countries on these issues," he added.

India and China remain entangled in a prolonged standoff at Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh since May 2020.

What triggered India's response?

China on Wednesday said it was opposed to the joint India-US military exercises in Uttarakhand's Auli and claimed that it violated the spirit of two border agreements signed by two countries in 1993 and 1996 respectively.

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The 1993 agreement deals with maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control with China. While the 1996 agreement was about confidence building measures to be taken by both sides to develop mutual trust with respect to troops movement and deployment along the LAC.

About India-US military drills

The 18th edition of the India-US joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' is currently underway in Auli.

Auli is about 100 km from Line of Actual Control that India shared with China-administered Tibet.

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