Almost 45 years after the Indian and Chinese armies fought each other in the North East, the two are again to set to engage in combat. But this time it is going to be an anti-terror exercise.

Amidst the dispute on 4,000 km border, the maiden Sino-Indian joint exercise will commence in Kunming on Thursday. Christened “Hand in Hand 2007”, the five-day exercise will focus on anti-terror manoeuvres.

From the Indian side, nine officers and 86 soldiers of 15 Jammu and Kashmir light infantry regiment from the Gangtok based 17 Mountain Division would participate, said an army official.

One armed reconnaissance company of the People’s Liberation army of China and PLA tanks will participate in the exercise that may mark a new beginning in the Sino-Indian strategic relations, which are so far shrouded in mistrust.The main exercise in which the two armies will try to penetrate a terror outpost in order to neutralise the enemy would be conducted on the Christmas day, said an officer. 

Headed by Brigadier D S Dadwal, the Indian contingent has arrived in Kunming on Wednesday, official sources said.

Both sides agreed on the exercises in accordance with a pact signed by former defence minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Chinese counterpart Gen Cao Gangchuan in May 2006.