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India, China to hold joint naval exercises soon: report

IRNA

New Delhi, Oct 31, IRNA -- Indian and Chinese navies will come 
together for the first time to conduct joint exercises in the middle 
of November, the press reported here on Friday. 
The English-language newspaper `Indian Express` reported that two 
Indian warships have already been identified and dispatched to conduct
search and rescue exercises in the Indian Ocean. 
China is expected to send similar ships for the exercise, the 
daily quoted sources at India`s Naval Headquarters. 
The exercises are part of the agreement that India`s Defense 
Minister George Fernandes` made with Chinese officials in his visit 
to China. 
Fernandes made several references to the proposed exercises while 
addressing senior naval commanders on Thursday morning. 
The joint exercises are also a result of Beijing`s interest in 
forging ties with the Indian Navy, in a bid to keep "extraneous" 
influences out of the Indian Ocean. 
China`s energy security, say sources, is another reason behind the
Chinese military`s growing seaward outlook. 
/AA/217 
End