China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier completed its first sea trials and went back to a dock of Dalian Shipyard in northeast China's Liaoning Province Friday morning.

It is the country's second aircraft carrier but the first domestically-built one.

The sea trials started on May 13 which mainly tested the reliability and stability of the carrier's power system and other equipment.

Construction on the carrier has been carried out as planned since it was launched in April last year, and equipment debugging, outfitting and mooring tests were completed earlier to make it ready for the trial mission at sea.

The sea trials started on May 13 which mainly tested the reliability and stability of the carrier's power system and other equipment.

China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier completed its first sea trials and went back to a dock of Dalian Shipyard in northeast China's Liaoning Province Friday morning. It is the country's second aircraft carrier but the first domestically-built one. The sea trials started on May 13 which mainly tested the reliability and stability of the carrier's power system and other equipment. Construction on the carrier has been carried out as planned since it was launched in April last year, and equipment debugging, outfitting and mooring tests were completed earlier to make it ready for the trial mission at sea.

Watch: China's first indigenously built aircraft carrier completes sea test

China for the first time today launched a privately developed rocket the "Chongqing Liangjiang Star" with an eye towards sending a permanent manned space station into orbit by 2022.

OneSpace Technology, a Beijing-based private firm manufactured the rocket which was powered by solid fuel engine, company chairman Mao Chao said. The company aims to send 10 rocket missions by next year. "I hope we can become one of the biggest small-satellite launchers in the world," company founder Shu said.

The rocket has a 100 kg payload, significantly it uses energy-saving technology instead of internet power.&nbsp;

Chinese state media said One Space is the result of the Chinese government's effort to foster commercial space flight.

“We will develop bigger rockets in the future and participate in the global competition,” Shu added. Shu Chang added that his startup OneSpace mirrored Musk-controlled SpaceX.

The development of the Chinese military and space technology is one of President Xi's stated goals with the country spending millions of dollars on upgrading its various military hardware, including technology to power rockets, aircraft and drones.

The Chinese government tightly controls the development of space technology but the rise of OneSpace signals the country's intent to develop this space beyond government control more on the SpaceX and Jeff Bezos led-Blue Origin of the US.

Reports said the goal&nbsp;of the first flight of OneSpace was to collect data for a classified research project. 
&nbsp;

The rocket has a 100 kg payload, significantly it uses energy-saving technology instead of internet power.

China for the first time today launched a privately developed rocket the "Chongqing Liangjiang Star" with an eye towards sending a permanent manned space station into orbit by 2022. OneSpace Technology, a Beijing-based private firm manufactured the rocket which was powered by solid fuel engine, company chairman Mao Chao said. The company aims to send 10 rocket missions by next year. "I hope we can become one of the biggest small-satellite launchers in the world," company founder Shu said. The rocket has a 100 kg payload, significantly it uses energy-saving technology instead of internet power. Chinese state media said One Space is the result of the Chinese government's effort to foster commercial space flight. “We will develop bigger rockets in the future and participate in the global competition,” Shu added. Shu Chang added that his startup OneSpace mirrored Musk-controlled SpaceX. The development of the Chinese military and space technology is one of President Xi's stated goals with the country spending millions of dollars on upgrading its various military hardware, including technology to power rockets, aircraft and drones. The Chinese government tightly controls the development of space technology but the rise of OneSpace signals the country's intent to develop this space beyond government control more on the SpaceX and Jeff Bezos led-Blue Origin of the US. Reports said the goal of the first flight of OneSpace was to collect data for a classified research project.

Watch: In a first, China launches privately owned rocket, eyes space station in 2022

China on Sunday officially started conducted sea trial for its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier on Sunday.&nbsp

This is China's second carrier after the earlier vessel launched in&nbsp2012 which was mainly a Soviet-era refit.

The new aircraft carrier left the shipyard in northeastern Dalian at 6.45am, Xinhua reported. Reports said China is in the process of building larger carriers in the years to come as the race hots up between the US and China to dominate the seas worldwide.

"Our country's second aircraft carrier set sail from its dock in the Dalian shipyard for relevant waters to conduct a sea trial mission, mainly to inspect and verify the reliability and stability of mechanical systems and other equipment," Xinhua said.

President Xi who now is the undisputed leader of the Communist state is personally overseeing the modernisation of the armed forces as Chinese military aircrafts and Navy engage in waters across the South China Sea in the disputed Spratly Islands and off Taiwan which China considers as a breakaway nation.

China is reportedly building another aircraft carrier in Shanghai to rival the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Ronald Reagan. State media has quoted experts as saying that the country needs at least six carriers. The United States operates 10 and plans to build two more.

The Chinese military is yet to name the new carrier which is temporarily called Type 001A weighing about 50,000 tonnes. The carrier is set to&nbspjoin the Chinese Navy in two years.

The new carrier will be able to host China's Shenyang J-15 fighter jets.

This is China's second carrier after the earlier vessel launched in 2012 which was mainly a Soviet-era refit.

China on Sunday officially started conducted sea trial for its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier on Sunday. This is China's second carrier after the earlier vessel launched in&nbsp2012 which was mainly a Soviet-era refit. The new aircraft carrier left the shipyard in northeastern Dalian at 6.45am, Xinhua reported. Reports said China is in the process of building larger carriers in the years to come as the race hots up between the US and China to dominate the seas worldwide. "Our country's second aircraft carrier set sail from its dock in the Dalian shipyard for relevant waters to conduct a sea trial mission, mainly to inspect and verify the reliability and stability of mechanical systems and other equipment," Xinhua said. President Xi who now is the undisputed leader of the Communist state is personally overseeing the modernisation of the armed forces as Chinese military aircrafts and Navy engage in waters across the South China Sea in the disputed Spratly Islands and off Taiwan which China considers as a breakaway nation. China is reportedly building another aircraft carrier in Shanghai to rival the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Ronald Reagan. State media has quoted experts as saying that the country needs at least six carriers. The United States operates 10 and plans to build two more. The Chinese military is yet to name the new carrier which is temporarily called Type 001A weighing about 50,000 tonnes. The carrier is set to&nbspjoin the Chinese Navy in two years. The new carrier will be able to host China's Shenyang J-15 fighter jets.

Watch: After setting up indigenously-built aircraft carrier, China eyes bigger vessel

<div segoe="" style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33) font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, " ui="">The Line of Actual Control (LAC), a porous border separating India and China, continues to remain a cause of anxiety for New Delhi. And the reason for that is differing perceptions of the LAC in both the nations. While India, as always, wants to maintain the status quo along the border, China stakes claim to some of the territories in Arunachal Pradesh on the Indian side. 
&nbsp; 
These differences in perceptions have sharpened in the last few years due to infrastructure build-up by both India and China along the LAC. But the contrast is chilling. 
&nbsp; 
China has developed both civilian and military infrastructure along the LAC, and massively. But the Indian side - though it has created a new Corp of the Indian Army for the Eastern Front - still lacks basic infrastructure like telephone connectivity, roads or railways. The deployment of troops on the LAC from Indian side is dense but infrastructure remains absent. Many civilian areas are in fact unconnected. 
&nbsp; 
China has a railway station just 35km from the LAC. The nearest railway station on the Indian side is 200km away. A proposed railway station may bring down the distance to 150km but it still takes an Indian soldier deployed on the LAC more than 80 hours to reach the nearest railway station. 
&nbsp; 
Both the countries carry out long-range patrols to lay claims to the land. Any long-range patrol can take 20 to 28 days to complete. On an average, any unit on such patrol would cover 90km on foot. Rocks are marked and painted during these patrols. This constant painting and repainting have led to these rocks acquiring an inch thick of the coat. 
&nbsp; 
The stark difference between infrastructure development along the border can be attributed to the harsh weather condition on the Indian side. Many say that the weather on the Indian side is far wetter than on the Chinese side of the Himalayas. The connectivity of east and west bank of the Lohit river (a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra) is glaring. This problem has military implications. During hostilities, it can lead to troops being boxed in their own areas for long and will make an immediate rush to the spot on the other side next to impossible. 
&nbsp; 
When Indian and Chinese soldiers meet, evolved protocols kick into action, unlike the Line of Control (LoC), or the India-Pakistan border. The areas are designated and only fixed addresses are recorded on camera. Rest of the conversation takes place without it. Unlike eyeball to eyeball stand-off at LoC, the LAC witnesses non-violent stand-offs during patrols. 
&nbsp; 
India also faces another challenge. China has organised scattered communities along the LAC into single villages and built military installations adjoining them. The Indian side, on the other hand, has scattered population, which makes surveillance more difficult. 
&nbsp; 
In Kaho, the last Indian village before the LAC, any Indian phone with international roaming enabled can easily catch Chinese telecom network. This is not the case on the Indian side. The telephone towers of state-run BSNL are 40 to 50km away from the border. It makes intelligence gathering easy for the Chinese as its investment on LAC remains high tech and up to the mark.</div>

<div segoe="" style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33) font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, " ui=""><img alt="chinese-network-LAC.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="https://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/chinese-network-LAC.jpg" width="770" /> 
&nbsp; 
But the fact is that this is 2018 and not 1962. The Indian Army is well-deployed and well-stocked to meet any kind of situation. It has set up optical fibre network for its own communication in the border areas. Strong and long bridges have come on the Brahmaputra. Bhupen Hazarika bridge is one such example. It will allow tanks to ply if needed. A 1703-km-long trans-Arunachal Pradesh highway and inter-valley road is in the pipeline. Indian forces will remain more than a match for the Chinese military. According to assessment by the Indian Army, in case of hostilities, the human wave strategy deployed by the Chinese in 1962 will not be repeated. It will be more of shock and awe and missile oriented. 
&nbsp; 
There are no barbed wires on the LAC. There are bunkers and artillery deployed aimed at each other but guns have never boomed after 1962. Both sides intensely and continuously monitor each other and look for red flags. India knows that if Chinese troop movement takes place on the southern loop then it is a red flag and set of military counteraction would kick into force. The Chinese are&nbsp;monitoring the movement around Sela pass (in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh). 
&nbsp; 
The effort remains that the status quo of the border should not be breached. The LAC has been divided into disputed and sensitive areas. The disputed areas are those where both parties acknowledge the difference between position and sensitive where such divergence is not acknowledged at all. The sensitivity remains high and effort remains that local issues should not escalate to diplomatic levels. 
&nbsp; 
Doklam was one such incident when the local face-off got escalated and the matter had to be resolved diplomatically without provoking China. Politically, the matter has become even more sensitive to India after an extension of Xi Jinping's tenure. India's firm response in Doklam was to ensure that status quo is not altered. The deployment of Army on the LAC works on this principle. Even the deployment differs on the Line of Actual Control. In an 803-km-long LAC, deployments depend on the sector. Tawang sector is far more densely deployed than other areas owing to the sensitivity of the situation. 
&nbsp; 
India faces many challenges but opportunities are also immense. Arunachal Pradesh is one area in the Northeast, which is very nationalistic. Hindi unites people in the state. The response to LAC today cannot be a limited to military deployment. It requires a political action and vision. In Doklam it was proved that India will not allow status quo to change. It needs to show the same wisdom and vision inside its own border so that, these areas can be better integrated with the rest of India.</div>

The Line of Actual Control (LAC), a porous border separating India and China, continues to remain a cause of anxiety for New Delhi

The Line of Actual Control (LAC), a porous border separating India and China, continues to remain a cause of anxiety for New Delhi. And the reason for that is differing perceptions of the LAC in both the nations. While India, as always, wants to maintain the status quo along the border, China stakes claim to some of the territories in Arunachal Pradesh on the Indian side. These differences in perceptions have sharpened in the last few years due to infrastructure build-up by both India and China along the LAC. But the contrast is chilling. China has developed both civilian and military infrastructure along the LAC, and massively. But the Indian side - though it has created a new Corp of the Indian Army for the Eastern Front - still lacks basic infrastructure like telephone connectivity, roads or railways. The deployment of troops on the LAC from Indian side is dense but infrastructure remains absent. Many civilian areas are in fact unconnected. China has a railway station just 35km from the LAC. The nearest railway station on the Indian side is 200km away. A proposed railway station may bring down the distance to 150km but it still takes an Indian soldier deployed on the LAC more than 80 hours to reach the nearest railway station. Both the countries carry out long-range patrols to lay claims to the land. Any long-range patrol can take 20 to 28 days to complete. On an average, any unit on such patrol would cover 90km on foot. Rocks are marked and painted during these patrols. This constant painting and repainting have led to these rocks acquiring an inch thick of the coat. The stark difference between infrastructure development along the border can be attributed to the harsh weather condition on the Indian side. Many say that the weather on the Indian side is far wetter than on the Chinese side of the Himalayas. The connectivity of east and west bank of the Lohit river (a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra) is glaring. This problem has military implications. During hostilities, it can lead to troops being boxed in their own areas for long and will make an immediate rush to the spot on the other side next to impossible. When Indian and Chinese soldiers meet, evolved protocols kick into action, unlike the Line of Control (LoC), or the India-Pakistan border. The areas are designated and only fixed addresses are recorded on camera. Rest of the conversation takes place without it. Unlike eyeball to eyeball stand-off at LoC, the LAC witnesses non-violent stand-offs during patrols. India also faces another challenge. China has organised scattered communities along the LAC into single villages and built military installations adjoining them. The Indian side, on the other hand, has scattered population, which makes surveillance more difficult. In Kaho, the last Indian village before the LAC, any Indian phone with international roaming enabled can easily catch Chinese telecom network. This is not the case on the Indian side. The telephone towers of state-run BSNL are 40 to 50km away from the border. It makes intelligence gathering easy for the Chinese as its investment on LAC remains high tech and up to the mark. But the fact is that this is 2018 and not 1962. The Indian Army is well-deployed and well-stocked to meet any kind of situation. It has set up optical fibre network for its own communication in the border areas. Strong and long bridges have come on the Brahmaputra. Bhupen Hazarika bridge is one such example. It will allow tanks to ply if needed. A 1703-km-long trans-Arunachal Pradesh highway and inter-valley road is in the pipeline. Indian forces will remain more than a match for the Chinese military. According to assessment by the Indian Army, in case of hostilities, the human wave strategy deployed by the Chinese in 1962 will not be repeated. It will be more of shock and awe and missile oriented. There are no barbed wires on the LAC. There are bunkers and artillery deployed aimed at each other but guns have never boomed after 1962. Both sides intensely and continuously monitor each other and look for red flags. India knows that if Chinese troop movement takes place on the southern loop then it is a red flag and set of military counteraction would kick into force. The Chinese are monitoring the movement around Sela pass (in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh). The effort remains that the status quo of the border should not be breached. The LAC has been divided into disputed and sensitive areas. The disputed areas are those where both parties acknowledge the difference between position and sensitive where such divergence is not acknowledged at all. The sensitivity remains high and effort remains that local issues should not escalate to diplomatic levels. Doklam was one such incident when the local face-off got escalated and the matter had to be resolved diplomatically without provoking China. Politically, the matter has become even more sensitive to India after an extension of Xi Jinping's tenure. India's firm response in Doklam was to ensure that status quo is not altered. The deployment of Army on the LAC works on this principle. Even the deployment differs on the Line of Actual Control. In an 803-km-long LAC, deployments depend on the sector. Tawang sector is far more densely deployed than other areas owing to the sensitivity of the situation. India faces many challenges but opportunities are also immense. Arunachal Pradesh is one area in the Northeast, which is very nationalistic. Hindi unites people in the state. The response to LAC today cannot be a limited to military deployment. It requires a political action and vision. In Doklam it was proved that India will not allow status quo to change. It needs to show the same wisdom and vision inside its own border so that, these areas can be better integrated with the rest of India.

How India is fortifying LAC in Arunachal Pradesh to counter China's belligerence

Every time a Left government takes power in Nepal, old concerns and fears are expressed in India and Nepal about how the government will manage its relations with its giant neighbours. All Left parties once in power have called for a sweeping review of bilateral relations between India and Nepal, especially on the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship and recruitment of Nepali Gorkhas in the Indian Army. In 1996, Prime Minister Manmohan Adhikari of CPN UML initiated this process. At that time, China was not a big player in the region. Further, Nepal was a constitutional monarchy governed by the 1990 constitution where King exercised real power.

When Maoists assumed power, they tried to subvert democratic institutions of state to establish a People&rsquo;s Republic but were thwarted by democratic forces.

This is the first time a Left Alliance government -a CPN UML and Maoist Centre -have combined People&rsquo;s Democracy and Maoist ideology to form the merged Nepal Communist Party. Two-term Prime Minister KP Oli is viewed as pro-China especially after the blockade of 2015, and the alleged dismantling of his government by India in August 2016. Oli is the first Prime Minister to ever sign a ten-point agreement with China as a backlash to the blockade which includes a trade and transit treaty and use of Chinese ports. But Oli is also an old friend of India and has studied the geography of politics carefully. His intention to deepen ties with China affords options to leverage India, precisely what Prachanda said in his first term &ndash; &lsquo;we need China to balance India&rsquo;.

Another issue every Left government has sought to review with India is the question of Nepali citizens recruiting into the Indian Army by a tripartite treaty including the UK in 1947. The Maoists&rsquo;20-point representation to the government in 2000 included the question of recruitment. But as always, it is such an emotional and sensitive issue among Nepal&rsquo;s soldiering community and an apparent thorn in the side of the nationalists that it has invariably had to be dropped due to acute joblessness in Nepal. One-third of Nepal&rsquo;s population lives and works abroad and remittances make up for 25 per cent of government revenue. 40,000 Nepali soldiers are serving in the Indian Army and more than 5 lakh Indian ex-servicemen community in Nepal are a strong pro-India strategic constituency in Nepal. India-Nepal Armies have very special relations and their Army Chiefs are honorary Generals in each other&rsquo;s armies.

The Chinese have been pushing Nepal to have deeper ties with the Chinese Army and break the Gorkha connection with India. In 2017 for the first time, a small joint Nepal China training exercise was held. The Chinese have increased military aid to Nepal ten times and are responsible for the training of the armed police force and also the police.

The prescient founder of modern Nepal, King Prithvinarayan Shah had observed that Nepal is a yam between two big boulders. When this ground reality is tempered with history, geography, religion, culture, and proximity, the Chinese realise they have a long way to go towards equivalence with India, notwithstanding the allure of Belt and Road Initiative including grandiose plans for connectivity. Using their economic wealth,&nbsp; the Chinese have magnified their political influence dramatically despite citing &ldquo;political interference in the internal affairs of other countries&rdquo; as taboo. &nbsp;Beijing played a major role in forging the Left Alliance and the Nepal Communist Party. If the government survives five years, a new stable Nepal is in the making. Incidentally, an India-Nepal Eminent Persons Group is already working on a review of bilateral relations for the last two years.

Meanwhile, India will nurture the democratic forces and support the new government so long as its key security concerns are red-lined. Nepal can no longer be taken for granted as the political landscape has changed and for the present, the Chinese are in the driver&rsquo;s seat.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Using their economic wealth, the Chinese have magnified their political influence dramatically despite citing “political interference in the internal affairs of other countries” as taboo.

Every time a Left government takes power in Nepal, old concerns and fears are expressed in India and Nepal about how the government will manage its relations with its giant neighbours. All Left parties once in power have called for a sweeping review of bilateral relations between India and Nepal, especially on the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship and recruitment of Nepali Gorkhas in the Indian Army. In 1996, Prime Minister Manmohan Adhikari of CPN UML initiated this process. At that time, China was not a big player in the region. Further, Nepal was a constitutional monarchy governed by the 1990 constitution where King exercised real power. When Maoists assumed power, they tried to subvert democratic institutions of state to establish a People’s Republic but were thwarted by democratic forces. This is the first time a Left Alliance government -a CPN UML and Maoist Centre -have combined People’s Democracy and Maoist ideology to form the merged Nepal Communist Party. Two-term Prime Minister KP Oli is viewed as pro-China especially after the blockade of 2015, and the alleged dismantling of his government by India in August 2016. Oli is the first Prime Minister to ever sign a ten-point agreement with China as a backlash to the blockade which includes a trade and transit treaty and use of Chinese ports. But Oli is also an old friend of India and has studied the geography of politics carefully. His intention to deepen ties with China affords options to leverage India, precisely what Prachanda said in his first term – ‘we need China to balance India’. Another issue every Left government has sought to review with India is the question of Nepali citizens recruiting into the Indian Army by a tripartite treaty including the UK in 1947. The Maoists’20-point representation to the government in 2000 included the question of recruitment. But as always, it is such an emotional and sensitive issue among Nepal’s soldiering community and an apparent thorn in the side of the nationalists that it has invariably had to be dropped due to acute joblessness in Nepal. One-third of Nepal’s population lives and works abroad and remittances make up for 25 per cent of government revenue. 40,000 Nepali soldiers are serving in the Indian Army and more than 5 lakh Indian ex-servicemen community in Nepal are a strong pro-India strategic constituency in Nepal. India-Nepal Armies have very special relations and their Army Chiefs are honorary Generals in each other’s armies. The Chinese have been pushing Nepal to have deeper ties with the Chinese Army and break the Gorkha connection with India. In 2017 for the first time, a small joint Nepal China training exercise was held. The Chinese have increased military aid to Nepal ten times and are responsible for the training of the armed police force and also the police. The prescient founder of modern Nepal, King Prithvinarayan Shah had observed that Nepal is a yam between two big boulders. When this ground reality is tempered with history, geography, religion, culture, and proximity, the Chinese realise they have a long way to go towards equivalence with India, notwithstanding the allure of Belt and Road Initiative including grandiose plans for connectivity. Using their economic wealth, the Chinese have magnified their political influence dramatically despite citing “political interference in the internal affairs of other countries” as taboo. Beijing played a major role in forging the Left Alliance and the Nepal Communist Party. If the government survives five years, a new stable Nepal is in the making. Incidentally, an India-Nepal Eminent Persons Group is already working on a review of bilateral relations for the last two years. Meanwhile, India will nurture the democratic forces and support the new government so long as its key security concerns are red-lined. Nepal can no longer be taken for granted as the political landscape has changed and for the present, the Chinese are in the driver’s seat. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: With China in control, India can't take Nepal for granted

The number of transgressions by the Chinese Army into the Indian territory rose to 426 in 2017 from the 273 in 2016, the government said Monday.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the transgressions have occurred due to the differing perception of the two counties of the Line of Actual Control.

&quot;In the year 2017, the number of transgressions was 426 as against 273 in the year 2016,&quot; he said.

The minister said the government takes up incidents of transgressions with the Chinese side through an established mechanism.

India and China share a nearly 4,000 km-long border.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam since June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off had ended on August 28.

In December, a Chinese road construction team had come nearly one kilometre into the Indian territory in Upper Siangin, Arunachal Pradesh, but went back after they were told to do so by the Indian security personnel.

Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said last month that the time has come for the country to shift focus from the western frontier to the northern one.

To a separate question, Mr Bhamre said China&#39;s defence budget is larger than the defence budget of India.

He said the budgetary allocations for defence depend on the size of the economy.

Referring to the situation on the northern border, he said the Indian Army is fully seized of the military needs of the country.

India and China share a nearly 4,000 km-long border

The number of transgressions by the Chinese Army into the Indian territory rose to 426 in 2017 from the 273 in 2016, the government said Monday. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the transgressions have occurred due to the differing perception of the two counties of the Line of Actual Control. "In the year 2017, the number of transgressions was 426 as against 273 in the year 2016," he said. The minister said the government takes up incidents of transgressions with the Chinese side through an established mechanism. India and China share a nearly 4,000 km-long border. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam since June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off had ended on August 28. In December, a Chinese road construction team had come nearly one kilometre into the Indian territory in Upper Siangin, Arunachal Pradesh, but went back after they were told to do so by the Indian security personnel. Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said last month that the time has come for the country to shift focus from the western frontier to the northern one. To a separate question, Mr Bhamre said China's defence budget is larger than the defence budget of India. He said the budgetary allocations for defence depend on the size of the economy. Referring to the situation on the northern border, he said the Indian Army is fully seized of the military needs of the country.

Chinese incursions into India rose in 2017: Government study

President Xi presented Wang Zeshan, 82, with the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award at a ceremony in Beijing.&nbsp;

Born in China&#39;s Jilin Province in 1935 which was under Japanese occupation, Zeshan has been responsible for propping up the People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) with weapons to tackle Taiwan and India&#39;s military on the China border, and vastly enhancing its gunpowder charges.

He has done major work in propellants and explosives technology and credited with improving the firing range of Chinese artillery. The dynamite specialist was the first to develop technology for reusing obsolete explosives, China&#39;s Xinhua news agency noted.

China&#39;s top science award winner is a professor with Nanjing University of Science &amp; Technology and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.&nbsp;

Zeshan continues to challenge himself despite spending over 60 years in developing new technologies, his new goal involves manufacturing of smokeless powder which he says &quot;hasn&#39;t been solved since it emerged more than 100 years ago.&quot;

China has applied Zeshan&#39;s research in several weapons especially in the long-range Guardian launch rocket system.

Zeshan has been responsible for propping up the People's Liberation Army with weapons to tackle Taiwan and India's military on the China border

President Xi presented Wang Zeshan, 82, with the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award at a ceremony in Beijing. Born in China's Jilin Province in 1935 which was under Japanese occupation, Zeshan has been responsible for propping up the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with weapons to tackle Taiwan and India's military on the China border, and vastly enhancing its gunpowder charges. He has done major work in propellants and explosives technology and credited with improving the firing range of Chinese artillery. The dynamite specialist was the first to develop technology for reusing obsolete explosives, China's Xinhua news agency noted. China's top science award winner is a professor with Nanjing University of Science & Technology and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Zeshan continues to challenge himself despite spending over 60 years in developing new technologies, his new goal involves manufacturing of smokeless powder which he says "hasn't been solved since it emerged more than 100 years ago." China has applied Zeshan's research in several weapons especially in the long-range Guardian launch rocket system.

Wang Zeshan - 'master of gunpowder' - wins China's top science award

In the backdrop of the 73-day- long Dokalam standoff, the Army has decided to significantly ramp up road infrastructure along <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-welcomes-modis-not-a-single-bullet-fired-along-sino-india-border-remark-16447">the Sino-India border </a>and tasked its Corps of Engineers to vigorously work on it to ensure swift movement of troops whenever necessary. Official sources said the Corps of Engineers (CoE) has already initiated a series of steps including placing orders for latest versions of various mountain cutting and road laying machines and equipment besides procuring assault tracks for fast movement of troops.

The sources said the Army headquarters ordered over 1,000 dual track mine detectors to enhance Corps of Engineers&rsquo; mine detection capability.

Over 100 excavators with latest features are also being procured to increase the existing capability of the engineers to lay operational track along mountainous regions in Northern sector.

The sources said over 50 short span bridges and a sizeable number of assault tracks for quick movement are also being procured to increase their mobility.

India and China share a 4,000-km-long border. The 237-year-old CoE provides key combat engineering support and maintains connectivity in key border regions for speedy movement of troops and artillery.

As per the plan, the Army engineers will initially lay roads in mountainous terrains and if necessary they will be further strengthened by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

In 2005, the Border Road Organisation was asked to construct 73 roads in the strategically important regions along the Sino-India border but there has been huge delay in implementation of the project which has apparently left the Army unhappy.

They said enhancing infrastructure along the sensitive borders is part of the government&rsquo;s overall strategy to boost combat readiness of the armed forces. The first company of CoE was raised in 1780 and the organization celebrated its raising day on November 18.

The Army has been focusing on enhancing infrastructure along the Sino-India border following the Dokalam standoff.

Soon after the face-off ended, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat had expressed serious concern over China&rsquo;s &ldquo;muscle flexing&rdquo; and said these conflicts can expand into an all-out war.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army.

The face-off ended on August 28.

Recently, the Army has also finalized one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernization under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines, and assault rifles are being purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore.

In the backdrop of the 73-day- long Dokalam standoff, the Army has decided to significantly ramp up road infrastructure along the Sino-India border and tasked its Corps of Engineers to vigorously work on it to ensure swift movement of troops whenever necessary

In the backdrop of the 73-day- long Dokalam standoff, the Army has decided to significantly ramp up road infrastructure along the Sino-India border and tasked its Corps of Engineers to vigorously work on it to ensure swift movement of troops whenever necessary. Official sources said the Corps of Engineers (CoE) has already initiated a series of steps including placing orders for latest versions of various mountain cutting and road laying machines and equipment besides procuring assault tracks for fast movement of troops. The sources said the Army headquarters ordered over 1,000 dual track mine detectors to enhance Corps of Engineers’ mine detection capability. Over 100 excavators with latest features are also being procured to increase the existing capability of the engineers to lay operational track along mountainous regions in Northern sector. The sources said over 50 short span bridges and a sizeable number of assault tracks for quick movement are also being procured to increase their mobility. India and China share a 4,000-km-long border. The 237-year-old CoE provides key combat engineering support and maintains connectivity in key border regions for speedy movement of troops and artillery. As per the plan, the Army engineers will initially lay roads in mountainous terrains and if necessary they will be further strengthened by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). In 2005, the Border Road Organisation was asked to construct 73 roads in the strategically important regions along the Sino-India border but there has been huge delay in implementation of the project which has apparently left the Army unhappy. They said enhancing infrastructure along the sensitive borders is part of the government’s overall strategy to boost combat readiness of the armed forces. The first company of CoE was raised in 1780 and the organization celebrated its raising day on November 18. The Army has been focusing on enhancing infrastructure along the Sino-India border following the Dokalam standoff. Soon after the face-off ended, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat had expressed serious concern over China’s “muscle flexing” and said these conflicts can expand into an all-out war. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. The face-off ended on August 28. Recently, the Army has also finalized one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernization under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines, and assault rifles are being purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore.

Doklam standoff: Army takes steps for swift troop movement along China border

China&#39;s state-run news agency Xinhua said today Chinese warships carried out live fire drills in the Indian Ocean.

Xinhua said Chinese ships were involved in a fire drill in the western part of the Indian Ocean, Reuters reported.

The fire drills could be part of anti-piracy patrols off Somalia and Yemen often carried out by Chinese ships, India has however expressed concern over Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean. The Chinese military did not clarify the reason behind the drills, Reuters said.

Not only the Navy, the Chinese Air Force has been active over South and the East China Sea.

Chinese Defense ministry in a statement said: &quot;No matter what obstructions are encountered, the Chinese air force will carry on as before; no matter who flies with us, the Chinese air force will fly a lot and as normal!&quot;.

Taiwan, an ally of US has been at loggerheads with Beijing since it does not recognise Taiwan&#39;s independent government. China has been carrying out air drills for the past several months, in a blunt message China&#39;s defense ministry said,&quot;No amount of interference or shadowing of its aircraft will stop the Chinese air force from carrying out long-range drills.&quot;

A few weeks ago <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-surveillance-planes-fly-close-to-taiwan-18967">two Chinese military surveillance </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-surveillance-planes-fly-close-to-taiwan-18967">aircrafts</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-military-surveillance-planes-fly-close-to-taiwan-18967"> flew close to Taiwan&#39;s air defense</a> identification zone(ADIZ). The surveillance aircrafts Shaanxi Y-8 flew northeast through the Bashi Channel to the south and later flew over the Miyako Strait. Taiwan has now detected Chinese air activity on at least four occasions this month.

Japan too is concerned after Chinese jets reportedly flew close to its islands.&nbsp;

&quot;It was the first time we have recorded Chinese military aircraft flying this route,&quot; minister of defence Itsunori Onodera said.&nbsp;

&quot;We expressed our concern through diplomatic channels,&quot; he added.

Japan has been trying to fend off hostile activity in the Korean peninsula with North Korea increasingly flexing its military muscle in the region and with increased Chinese activity, the region is seen as a volatile area beset with super power games

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-japan-conduct-joint-military-drill-in-hokkaido-19035">Japan and US conducted a joint military </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-japan-conduct-joint-military-drill-in-hokkaido-19035">excercise</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-japan-conduct-joint-military-drill-in-hokkaido-19035"> two weeks </a>- the largest-scale military drill to be held between the two countries as the region continued to be in turmoil.&nbsp;

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The fire drills could be part of anti-piracy patrols off Somalia and Yemen often carried out by Chinese ships

China's state-run news agency Xinhua said today Chinese warships carried out live fire drills in the Indian Ocean. Xinhua said Chinese ships were involved in a fire drill in the western part of the Indian Ocean, Reuters reported. The fire drills could be part of anti-piracy patrols off Somalia and Yemen often carried out by Chinese ships, India has however expressed concern over Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean. The Chinese military did not clarify the reason behind the drills, Reuters said. Not only the Navy, the Chinese Air Force has been active over South and the East China Sea. Chinese Defense ministry in a statement said: "No matter what obstructions are encountered, the Chinese air force will carry on as before; no matter who flies with us, the Chinese air force will fly a lot and as normal!". Taiwan, an ally of US has been at loggerheads with Beijing since it does not recognise Taiwan's independent government. China has been carrying out air drills for the past several months, in a blunt message China's defense ministry said,"No amount of interference or shadowing of its aircraft will stop the Chinese air force from carrying out long-range drills." A few weeks ago two Chinese military surveillance aircrafts flew close to Taiwan's air defense identification zone(ADIZ). The surveillance aircrafts Shaanxi Y-8 flew northeast through the Bashi Channel to the south and later flew over the Miyako Strait. Taiwan has now detected Chinese air activity on at least four occasions this month. Japan too is concerned after Chinese jets reportedly flew close to its islands. "It was the first time we have recorded Chinese military aircraft flying this route," minister of defence Itsunori Onodera said. "We expressed our concern through diplomatic channels," he added. Japan has been trying to fend off hostile activity in the Korean peninsula with North Korea increasingly flexing its military muscle in the region and with increased Chinese activity, the region is seen as a volatile area beset with super power games Japan and US conducted a joint military excercise two weeks - the largest-scale military drill to be held between the two countries as the region continued to be in turmoil.

Chinese warships conduct live fire drills in Indian Ocean, Air Force active over Taiwan, Japan

Amid the Doklam standoff and the recent Pangong skirmish, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will pay a three-day visit to Ladakh, beginning on Sunday, to review the security scenario in eastern Ladakh.

During the visit, he will take stock of the security preparedness along the border with China besides, discussing key operational matters with top commanders.

The visit comes days after Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed at the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, even as the People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA) declined the Indian invitation to participate in ceremonial border meetings on the occasion of India&#39;s 71st Independence Day.

This was the first time since 2005 that the PLA has declined to meet with their Indian counterpart.

Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed with each other at Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh on Tuesday, at 7:30 am near the Finger-6 part of the 135-km long lake, one-third of which is in Indian control and the rest under Chinese control.

It was earlier reported that the brief standoff led to jostling and exchange of blows between soldiers of the two armies; but, no shots were fired though.

However, during a press briefing here on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, while confirming the Pangong skirmish, said, that he does not affirm if there was stone pelting or use of rods during the incident.

The visit comes days after Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed at the Pangong Lake in Ladakh

Amid the Doklam standoff and the recent Pangong skirmish, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will pay a three-day visit to Ladakh, beginning on Sunday, to review the security scenario in eastern Ladakh. During the visit, he will take stock of the security preparedness along the border with China besides, discussing key operational matters with top commanders. The visit comes days after Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed at the Pangong Lake in Ladakh, even as the People's Liberation Army (PLA) declined the Indian invitation to participate in ceremonial border meetings on the occasion of India's 71st Independence Day. This was the first time since 2005 that the PLA has declined to meet with their Indian counterpart. Indian and Chinese boat patrols clashed with each other at Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh on Tuesday, at 7:30 am near the Finger-6 part of the 135-km long lake, one-third of which is in Indian control and the rest under Chinese control. It was earlier reported that the brief standoff led to jostling and exchange of blows between soldiers of the two armies; but, no shots were fired though. However, during a press briefing here on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, while confirming the Pangong skirmish, said, that he does not affirm if there was stone pelting or use of rods during the incident.

Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat to begin three-day visit to Ladakh on Sunday

The United States said on Friday that it wants India and China to have a dialogue over the Dokalam stand-off.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s a situation that we have certainly followed closely,&quot; US state department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at a news conference.&nbsp;

&quot;As you know, we have relationships with both governments. We continue to encourage both parties to sit down and have conversations about that. And I&#39;ll just leave it at that,&quot; Nauert added.

Tensions are high as India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area for the last 50 days.

The stand-off ensued after &nbsp;Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from constructing a road in the region.&nbsp;

Tensions are high as India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area for the last 50 days

The United States said on Friday that it wants India and China to have a dialogue over the Dokalam stand-off. "It's a situation that we have certainly followed closely," US state department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at a news conference. "As you know, we have relationships with both governments. We continue to encourage both parties to sit down and have conversations about that. And I'll just leave it at that," Nauert added. Tensions are high as India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area for the last 50 days. The stand-off ensued after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from constructing a road in the region.

Dokalam stand-off: US calls for India-China dialogue

The Indian Army has said that it is in a &#39;no war, no peace&#39; mode against the Chinese military in Dokalam and status quo remains in the region.

The no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies.&nbsp;

Official sources told PTI that there has been no particular movement of troops and weapons from the Indian Army&#39;s side in the region. The sources said whatever &quot;movement&quot;&nbsp;is taking place is for maintenance purposes.&nbsp;

We are in no war no peace mode in Dokalam, the sources said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/doklam-stand-off-after-chinas-veiled-threat-india-says-coordinating-with-bhutan-18610" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;After China&#39;s veiled threat, India says coordinating with Bhutan</a>

The sources told PTI that there has been no enhancement of troops on the India-Bhutan-China trijunction.&nbsp;

India and China have been in a stand-off in Dokalam for the last 50 days after Indian Army stopped Chinese troops from building a road in the region.&nbsp;

China claims that it was building the road within its territory and has been demanding a pull-out of the Indian Army from Dokalam. Bhutan and China both lay claim on Dokalam,&nbsp;

Sources told PTI that there has been no enhancement of troops on the India-Bhutan-China trijunction

The Indian Army has said that it is in a 'no war, no peace' mode against the Chinese military in Dokalam and status quo remains in the region. The no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies. Official sources told PTI that there has been no particular movement of troops and weapons from the Indian Army's side in the region. The sources said whatever "movement" is taking place is for maintenance purposes. We are in no war no peace mode in Dokalam, the sources said. Also read: After China's veiled threat, India says coordinating with Bhutan The sources told PTI that there has been no enhancement of troops on the India-Bhutan-China trijunction. India and China have been in a stand-off in Dokalam for the last 50 days after Indian Army stopped Chinese troops from building a road in the region. China claims that it was building the road within its territory and has been demanding a pull-out of the Indian Army from Dokalam. Bhutan and China both lay claim on Dokalam,

Dokalam stand-off: Indian army in 'no war, no peace' mode against China

Amid the ongoing military standoff between India and China at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, China&rsquo;s military said it has conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet.

The drills continued for 11 hours at an altitude of 5,000 metres on the plateau in Southwest China&rsquo;s Tibet Autonomous Region, state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

The live-fire exercises included the troops&rsquo; quick delivery, use of anti-tank grenades and missiles.

CCTV said the exercise was conducted by a brigade, which was part of the Tibet Military Command of the People&#39;s Liberation Army (PLA). It is part of China&rsquo;s two plateau mountain brigades.

According to the report by CCTV, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh.

During the exercise, the Chinese soldiers tested new equipment including tanks, Xinhua news agency said.

This video, said to show the military exercise, was shared by China Plus News on Twitter.&nbsp;

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chinese?src=hash">#Chinese</a> Army has recently carried out a military exercise on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tibet?src=hash">#Tibet</a> plateau, conducting live firing at a height of 5,100 meters. <a href="https://t.co/REv5BXuuO4">pic.twitter.com/REv5BXuuO4</a>
&mdash; China Plus News (@ChinaPlusNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChinaPlusNews/status/886788490469318657">July 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Doka La area near the Bhutan tri-junction for over a month.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

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China has carried out a live-fire drill on the Tibet plateau, deploying one of two brigades it has on the plateau. The exercise involved mobile artillery along with missile forces and some infantry (WION)
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The drills continued for 11 hours at an altitude of 5,000 metres on the plateau in Southwest China?s Tibet Autonomous Region, state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported

Amid the ongoing military standoff between India and China at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, China’s military said it has conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet. The drills continued for 11 hours at an altitude of 5,000 metres on the plateau in Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported. The live-fire exercises included the troops’ quick delivery, use of anti-tank grenades and missiles. CCTV said the exercise was conducted by a brigade, which was part of the Tibet Military Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). It is part of China’s two plateau mountain brigades. According to the report by CCTV, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh. During the exercise, the Chinese soldiers tested new equipment including tanks, Xinhua news agency said. This video, said to show the military exercise, was shared by China Plus News on Twitter. The #Chinese Army has recently carried out a military exercise on the #Tibet plateau, conducting live firing at a height of 5,100 meters. pic.twitter.com/REv5BXuuO4 — China Plus News (@ChinaPlusNews) July 17, 2017 × China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Doka La area near the Bhutan tri-junction for over a month. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region. China has carried out a live-fire drill on the Tibet plateau, deploying one of two brigades it has on the plateau. The exercise involved mobile artillery along with missile forces and some infantry (WION) ×

Chinese army conduct live-fire drills in Tibet

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