The Indian Air Force has initiated a 10-day exercise called “Trishul” alongits northern borders with China and Pakistan in preparation for theupcoming G20 summit. This exercise, which runs until September 14, willtake place in regions including Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu andKashmir, and Punjab, and will involve various aircraft, including fighterplanes, transport aircraft, and helicopters.
India shares a lengthy, undemarcated border with China, known as the Lineof Actual Control (LAC), spanning approximately 4,000 kilometers across theHimalayas. Additionally, India shares a 3,300-kilometer border withPakistan, including the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region, aswell as areas in the northern state of Punjab and the western Rajasthan andGujarat states.
This military exercise coincides with New Delhi hosting the G20 leaders onSeptember 9 and 10. The G20, consisting of 19 countries and the EU,addresses crucial global issues such as the economy, financial stability,climate change, and sustainable development. India holds the G20 presidencythis year, and leaders like US President Joe Biden, French PresidentEmmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are expected toattend. However, Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to skip the event,as reported by the media.
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This exercise follows talks between Xi Jinping and Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi during the Brics Summit in Johannesburg, where they agreed to”intensify efforts” to resolve border tensions. Diplomatic relationsbetween the two nations had become strained following clashes between theirtroops in the Himalayan Ladakh region in 2020, resulting in the loss of 24soldiers. The 19th round of the India-China Corps Commander Level Meetingtook place at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side onAugust 13 and 14.
