[Smith 2.0]

SOURCE: http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest ... 61,00.html?

India, China launch first ever joint naval exercise

BEIJING -- China and India began their first ever joint naval exercises off Shanghai's coast on Friday, the boldest step yet in the steadily improving relationship between the giant neighbours and former foes - and a new twist in the Asian security picture.

Three Indian navy ships are taking part in the maritime safety and search-and-rescue exercises, which also include helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, according to Indian media reports.

Press Trust of India (PTI) said the exercises began on Friday morning, with the guided-missile destroyer INS Ranjit and guided-missile corvette INS Kulish sailing into the East China Sea to rendezvous with the Chinese frigate Jiaxing and tanker Feng Chang. An Indian supply tanker remained in port.

PTI quoted the Indian commander Rear Admiral R.P. Suthan as saying the exercises on Friday were set to last 3 1/2 hours.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said on Thursday: 'We believe that this cooperation will further enhance friendly relations and improve further understanding between the two sides.'

The day of drills follows similar exercises off Shanghai last month involving the Chinese navy and warships from Pakistan, China's longtime ally and India's nuclear neighbour and primary antagonist.

Those exercises marked the first-ever joint naval exercises between Chinese ships and the navy of another nation since the founding of the communist People's Republic of China in 1949.

The earlier exercises may have been aimed at reassuring Pakistan that improvements in Beijing's ties with India will not undermine long-standing close relations with Islamabad.

'China has normal state-to-state relations with Pakistan, and this exercise will not affect relations with Pakistan,' Mr Liu said.

Those exercises were nearly identical in content to the China-India exercises, involving two Pakistani ships and about 700 sailors and men in a simulated joint search-and-rescue and anti-terror operation.

The Indian ships arrived in Shanghai on Monday and have been docked off the Bund, Shanghai's riverfront financial district. Indian naval vessels have visited Shanghai only four times since 1949.

Chinese media reported 985 Indian sailors and officers sailed with the three ships. The reports said that during the exercise, the two navies would coordinate a search and joint recovery operation of a vessel that issues an imaginary distress signal. -- AP

[Milorg]

The combined forces of these two nations is a scary concept. As far as i know, India has the second largest navy in the world and China the largest navy. U reckon this could be a threat to american hegemony?

[Smith 2.0]

It's an interesting subject to speculate on - I think the important thing to stress though is the small scale of this particular exercise, and also that China conducted a similar one with Pakistan previously - I think they are symbolic gestures more than anything else, China keeping things cozy on her doorstep. But as you say, their combined might is a formiddable prospect. I didn't know that India's navy was so large - do you know of any good sites for information on military capabilities of nations in Asia-Pac or Central Asia? These two regions are of great interest to me.

I've always said actually that India is underated as a contender for 'superpower' status... do you think either China or India alone will be able to challenge the US for supremacy in the near future?

[Milorg]

Technologically speaking, The US is still supreme. But i read that India has sizable fleet of carriers with mainly british sea harriers. A more than decent craft.

But i'm still surprised India and China entered joint excercises. There has been a lot of tension between the nations. There are some border disputes in addition to the fact that India offered exile to the tibetan government in the fifties. I think Beijing still holds a grudge over that one. The CCP is not the most forgiving group.

[silverstone]

china and india are rivals.both have superpower ambitions.both are fastest growing economies in the world.the joint exercise is only a diplomatic exercise.

[mak89gt]

Plus its very interesting to note that China is buying processed Iron from India.
The relations between my country and China are at 98%. The only disputes are Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Demchok, and Aksai Chin. But those are long gone issues and China had recently even recognised Sikkim as a part of India.
The naval exercise was a good boost to diplomacy. Also, Russia, China, and India have powerful navy's and make it impossible for foriegn countrys to infiltrate our waters. Also, its believed that my nation will be given permission by the U.N. to extend our boundries over water for resources, and to patrol the waters of Indonesia and other countries such as that.

[Comrade Ogilvy]

If anything it is also to test each others strenghths and weaknesses and see how each others navy works in action. Many countries like the usa can frown upon this but it doesn't change the fact that the Usa has someone who can dirrectly challenge them. Just think the PLA/PLN,INV and the KPA all joning forces it would be pretty bloody war.... But who wants to imagine such bad thoughts because.............................

...........WAR IS IMMORAL