China expresses displeasure over India-US military drills near LAC

China on Wednesday said it was opposed to the joint Indo-US military exercises being held near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), asserting that it violates the spirit of the two border agreements signed between New Delhi and Beijing.

The 18th edition of the India-US joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' is currently underway in Uttarakhand, about 100 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

It aims to enhance interoperability and share expertise between both armies in peacekeeping and disaster relief operations.

The nearly two-week exercise began earlier this month.

“The joint military exercise between India and the US close to the LAC at the China-India border violates the spirit of the agreement between China and India in 1993 and 1996,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here.

“It does not serve the mutual trust between China and India”, he said in response to a question posed by a correspondent from Pakistan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s reference to the 1993 and 1996 agreements is interesting as India termed the People’s Liberation Army's (PLA) attempts to move a large number of troops to the disputed areas in the LAC in eastern Ladakh in May 2020 violated the bilateral agreements which state that the boundary question is resolved through peaceful and friendly consultations.

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The military exercise is conducted annually between India and the US with the aim of exchanging best practices, tactics, techniques and procedures between the armies of the two nations.