India, China engage off Chinese coast

The navies of India and China held naval manoeuvres off the Chinese coast on Monday, enhancing mutual trust and inter-operability.

Indian naval ships conducted exercises with the People's Liberation Army Navy Northern Sea Fleet off the eastern coast of China, official sources said in Beijing.

India's two naval ships -- INS Rana and INS Ranjit -- had arrived at the port city of Qingdao on April 12.

Vice Admiral Raman P Suthan and the commanding officers of INS Rana and INS Ranjit met Chinese North Sea Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Su Shiliang and Qingdao Vice Mayor Zeng Aimin.

Rear Admiral Su Shiliang hosted a reception for the visiting Ships and the naval officers and sailors of the two countries visited each other's ships and held friendly sports competitions.

The Indian Navy band gave a grand and enchanting performance at Qingdao's May Fourth Square for the locals. Indian Ambassador to China, Nirupama Rao, underscored the importance of India-China relations to the region and the whole world.

She stressed that communication, cooperation and co-existence are the building blocks of bilateral ties. The visit of the Indian Naval Ships' builds on the momentum of exchanges between the two armed forces to deepen mutual understanding and trust. Such exchanges are part of the efforts to add further substance to the strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries.