India-China Joint Training Exercise Hand – in – Hand 2016 begins in Pune

The sixth chapter of Joint Military Training Exercise “Hand in Hand” between India and China has begun in Pune. This exercise is held annually and alternately in India and China. The first such exercise was held in China in the year 2007.

Key facts

• The focus of this edition’s exercise is on transnational terrorism and counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban scenarios.
• The basic objective is to increase confidence and trust among the armies of the two countries while carrying out anti-terrorism operations under the UN mandate.

Significance

• Exercises like this would be helpful to uphold values of peace, prosperity, and stability in the region.
• The exercise is being carried out at the backdrop of strained bilateral ties between the two countries over India’s entry to Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the ban on JeM chief Azhar Masood, and the recent standoff between the two armies in Ladakh.