As China Defence Minister visits,no major breakthrough expected

India and China are also likely to announce a revival of bilateral Army exercises that stopped in 2010 following a series of setbacks in defence relations,starting with Beijing stalling a visit by an Indian Lt Gen on the argument that he was commanding troops in Jammu and Kashmir.

While the theme of the joint exercise is being discussed,it is likely to revolve around a peacekeeping mission war game. The scale of the exercises is however not expected to be expanded and will most likely involve 100 odd troops from each side. The scope or frequency of the exercises is also unlikely to be changed.

Gen Guanglie,who visited Mumbai and Agra before the New Delhi leg of his visit,is the first Chinese Defence Minister to come to India since 2004 even though there was a visit by the then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee to Beijing in 2006.

Even though the visit by the Gen indicates a thaw in relations and returning to the pre-2010 level of interactions,there is no major change of stance on bilateral ties from Indias perspective.

On Monday,a day before Gen Guanglie starts the New Delhi leg of the visit,Antony informed Parliament in reply to a question that India has conveyed its concerns to Beijing over illegal construction activities in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

The minister,however,clarified that there has been no intrusion by Chinese troops on the border,instead referring to the matter as transgressions,as has been the government policy.

Antony also reiterated the Indian position that China occupies Indian territory in Jammu & Kashmir since 1962 that amounts to about 38,000 sq km.