China, India end anti-terror joint training

CHENGDU - Chinese and Indian armies ended their nine-day joint anti-terrorism training session with a live fire drill Wednesday in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Code-named "Hand-in-Hand 2013," the joint training session include demonstration of weapons, exchange of tactics, and mixed training in arrest of suspects and rescue of hostages.

The joint training has expanded fields for military exchanges and cooperation between China and India, said Zhou Xiaozhou, chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Chengdu Military Area Command.

It also demonstrated the good will and determination of the two nations in jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability and creating a harmonious development environment for both sides, Zhou said.

The joint training was launched on Nov 5 in the Sichuan city of Emeishan, with each side sending one company of 144 soldiers.

It was the third joint military exercise between China and India. The two countries conducted their first joint anti-terror training in Southwest China's Yunnan province in 2007, while their most recent exercise was carried out in Belgaum, India in 2008.