India, China set to establish military hotline: Govt

NEW DELHI :  India and China are considering to establish a hotline connection between their military headquarters, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.     Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a written reply that  the establishment of a hotline between military headquarters of  the two countries had been discussed at various fora.     The two sides discussed the issue during the visit of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee to China in July this year.     The issue was also taken up during the seventh meeting of the  Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination in New Delhi  on October 16-17.
The matter was being discussed under the provisions of the  Border Defence Cooperation Agreement which was signed last year by the two countries.
Responding to a supplementary on the violation of Indian  territory by the Chinese army, the Minister said as there was no  commonly delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India  and China, these incidents happened due to the differing  perceptions of the LAC.
He said the government was regularly taking up any transgressions  along the LAC with the Chinese side through established mechanisms  including border personnel meetings, flag meetings, meetings of the  Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Indo-China Border Affairs and diplomatic channels.    Mr Parrikar added that the government was also regularly  reviewing the threat perception to secure borders and protect  national interest.
Appropriate measures were being taken from time to time to  maintain and upgrade the country’s defence preparedness along the  border to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and  security of India.
(AGENCIES)