China's People Liberation Army (PLA) is set to take part in a joint military exercise with India's armed forces. The Indian Army on Saturday announced that the armed forces of India and China have agreed to conduct a joint training exercise from November 15 to 17 in western Indian city of Pune in Maharashtra.

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The Army said in a statement that the aim of the exercise is to share the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency expertise.

"The aim of the joint training is to share the expertise in drills and practices while tackling insurgency and terrorism, thereby promoting healthy military to military relations between the two armies and developing joint strategies for conducting operations in a counter terrorism environment," the statement said. "Forming part of the different levels of the military to military engagement across the entire spectrum of operations, this exercise will enrich the two contingents in further honing basic military skills."

The joint drills, named Exercise Hand in Hand 2016, is a part of a series of joint military exercise between the two Asian powers. The two armies have been conducting annual joint exercise since 2007. The first training exercise was conducted in Kunming city of Yunnan province in 2007. Last year, the armed forces of the two nations took part in the fifth edition of the military drills in Kunming.

India and China have been engaged in a bitter border dispute over the demarcation of Line of Actual Control (LAC). Last month, the armed forces of two sides were engaged in a major stand-off in Ladakh region on the Indian side of the border. 

TagsIndia, china, Indian Army, PLA, joint military exercise, Joint Drills