In a clear show of solidarity with India on Chinese objections to a joint military exercise, the US on Friday bluntly said the matter did not relate to China. “It is none of their (China’s) business,” said Elizabeth Jones, the US Charge d’ Affaires in India.
In a roundtable with journalists Jones here said, “I would point you to the comments by my Indian colleagues, that it’s none of their (China’s) business.”
The 18th edition of the Indo-US joint training exercise “Yudh Abhyas 22” commenced in Uttarakhand’s Auli on Saturday. China strongly objected to such a joint military exercise near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). ‘Yudh Abhyas’ is taking place 100 kms away from the LAC.
Speaking at a regular press conference, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian recently said, “The joint military exercise held by India and the US near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) violated the spirit of relevant agreements signed by China and India in 1993 and 1996, and does not help build bilateral trust. China has expressed concerns to the Indian side over the military
exercise.” India on Thursday rebuffed China’s objection to the US-India joint military exercise.
In a weekly media briefing by the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said, “These exercises going on with the US in Auli has nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements. The Chinese side needs to reflect and think about its own breach of these agreements. India exercises with whomsoever it chooses and it doesn’t give a veto to third countries on this issue.”
Speaking on a Pentagon report on China and Beijing’s warning to American officials not to interfere in its relationship with India, Bagchi said, “In our relations with the US we will not let anybody veto it. No one can have a veto on India-US ties, China needs to look into its own breaches. We want disengagement and de-escalation,” he said after China pointed to breach of 1993 and 1996 LAC pacts with India over military exercise with the US in Auli.
It will help both countries to counter China by endorsing each other. The 15-day exercise will focus on high altitude, extremely cold climate warfare.
Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures between the armies of the two nations.
The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021, read the Ministry of Defence press release.