(a) whether the Government has received any proposal from China for a border defence cooperation pact;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; and
(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to strengthen the defence cooperation between both the countries?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI RAJNATH SINGH)
j{kk ea=h ¼Jh ?????? ???? )
(a) & (b): An agreement on Border Defence Cooperation between India and China was signed on 23 October 2013. No new proposal for a border defence cooperation pact has been received from China.
(c) The Government has taken various steps to strengthen defence cooperation with China, including mechanisms to enhance military to military exchanges and to ensure maintenance of peace, stability and tranquillity along the India-China border. These include:
(i) Annual Defence and Security Dialogue
(ii) Exchanges at the level of border troops
(iii) Border Personnel Meetings
(iv) Meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-
China Border Affairs; and
(v) Agreements and protocols relating to Confidence Building measures.
*****