Govt gives nod for Coast Guard chiefs visit to China

After a freeze on all high-level military exchanges with China following Beijings refusal to allow a visit by the Northern Army Commander,the government has given the go-ahead for an official visit by the Indian Coast Guard chief to Shanghai.

While five high-level military visits have been cancelled following the controversy involving Lt Gen B S Jaswal,the government has decided to allow Vice Admiral Anil Chopra to attend the annual Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting to be held in China next month. However,the visit does not mean military exchanges have resumed. Sources said the go-ahead was given as a distinction has been made between bilateral visits and functions involving multilateral forums.

Vice Admiral Chopra will be first high ranking military official to visit China since Lt Gen Jaswal was denied permission to lead a military delegation to Beijing in July on the premises that he was commanding troops in the sensitive J&K.