NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, DEC 2
The US on Friday echoed India’s reaction in rejecting China’s opposition to an India-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ in Auli, about 100 km from the LAC in uttarakhand and asserted that it is “none of their business”.
Ambassador Elizabeth Jones, the newly-appointed US Charge d’Affaires to New Delhi, also said that Washington’s interest is in supporting New Delhi’s efforts to become more capable and its capacities are directed in ways it believes to be important.
Till We Meet Again !!
Joint Exercise of #IndianArmy & @USArmy – #YUDHABHYAS22 culminated today #YudhAbhyas2022 resulted in greater synergy & interoperability btwn both Armies in #Peace Keeping & #disaster Relief #Operations#India #USA #friendship 🤝@USARPAC_FMA pic.twitter.com/0QdO307Z9F
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) December 2, 2022
In an interaction with a group of journalists, she said the US’s ties with India is one of its “most consequential” relationships and that Washington sees a natural partnership between the two sides in a range of critical areas including defence technology and climate change.
Exercise #YudhAbhyas 2022
Soldiers of #IndianArmy & #USArmy train together exchanging best practices while operating under UN mandate. #IndianArmy @USARPAC pic.twitter.com/i0g0IWjuoa— PRO Shillong, Ministry of Defence (@proshillong) December 1, 2022
When asked about China’s objection to the India-US military exercise being held in Uttarakhand, Jones said, “I think I would point it to the kind of statement that we heard from our Indian colleagues to the effect that it is none of their business.”
Exercise #YudhAbhyas#IndianArmy and #USArmy troops in action during Exercise #YudhAbhyas 2022. #FearlessFriday#IndiaUSFriendship#InStrideWithTheFuture pic.twitter.com/vTqpUyLaBj
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) November 25, 2022
On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry opposed the “Yudh Abhyas” exercise at Auli in Uttarakhand, claiming that it violates border agreements signed by China and India in 1993 and 1996.
When asked about the Chinese reaction on the exercise, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a weekly media briefing on Thursday, “Military exercise in Auli has got nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements.”
He also said that “India exercises with whomsoever it chooses to and it does not give a Veto to third countries on this issue.”
The 1993 agreement pertains to maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LAC with China in the India-China border areas, while the 1996 pact was about confidence building measures in the military field along the LAC with China in the India-China border areas.
On Wednesday, China said it was opposed to the joint Indo-US military exercises and claimed that it violated 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’ held in Auli, about 100 km from the LAC.
