Indian and Chinese Troops Hold Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting on India's Independence Day

Jammu: The Indian and Chinese armies on Thursday expressed their mutual resolves to improve the functional-level ties and maintain peace and tranquillity along the border, said a Defence spokesperson.

The two armies expressed the resolve to better their ties and uphold bilateral treaties and agreements inked by their governments during the ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting of the Indian and Chinese troops on the occasion of India's Independence Day, he added.

The ceremonial meetings were conducted at two designated Indian BPM Huts at Daulat Beg Oldie in northern Ladakh and Chushul-Moldo in Ladakah.

The Chinese army personnel held the ceremonial meetings with their Indian counterparts in sharp contrast with the Pakistani troops, which shunned the customary practice of exchanging sweets and greeting with Indian troops at the border and LoC on their mutual auspicious occasions.

With Pakistani government hopping mad over revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status by India, Pakistan Rangers on Wednesday gave a miss to its customary, independence day practice of exchanging sweets with India's Border Security Force at Attari-Wagah border.

Three days ago on Eid-ul-Adha, they had also declined to accept sweets from the BSF personnel.

Pakistani Rangers traditionally used to offer sweets to their Indian counterpart BSF on August 14, the Pakistan's Independence day, but they shunned the tradition.

The gesture is reciprocated by the BSF a day later on August 15, the Indian Independence Day.

Keeping with the trend, India and Pakistan armies shunned exchanging greetings and sweets on Indian Independence Day too along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, said officials.

The Indian and Chinese armies hold their border personnel meetings on their respective auspicious occasions at five point -- Daulat Beg Oldie in northern Ladakh, Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Chusul in Ladakh, Bum-La near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and Nathu-La in Sikkim.

In Thursday's Indo-China BPMs, the Indian delegations were led by Brigadier H S Gill and Col S S Lamba while Senior Col Yin Hong Chen and Lt Col Liming Ju headed the Chinese delegations, said the defence spokesperson.

The ceremonial BPMs were marked by saluting of the India's national flag by both the delegation members.

This was followed by the ceremonial address by both delegation leaders which included exchange of greetings and vote of thanks, the PRO said.

In their addresses, they expressed their mutual resolves to improve their functional-level ties and maintain peace and tranquillity along the border, the PRO added.

Both sides also expressed their resolves to uphold the treaties and agreements signed between the governments of the two sides, he added.

The customary addresses by troop commanders of the two sides were followed by a cultural program showcasing vibrant Indian culture and a joint lunch.

Both the delegations interacted in a free, congenial and cordial environment, he said, adding the delegations parted amidst feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations and maintaining peace along the Line of Control.