Hand-in-Hand Exercise 2018: Indian Army Soldiers Teach Bhangra to Chinese Army Troops During Joint Military Drill; Watch Video

A video on Indian Army soldiers teaching Bhangra lessons to troops of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) during a joint military exercise ‘Hand-in-Hind’ is doing rounds on social media. The joint millitray drill is being conducted in China’s Chengdu from December 10 to 23. The opening ceremony of the exercise was held on December 11. More than 100 personnel from both the armies are participating in the exercise. Col Puneet Pratap Singh Tomar, Commanding Officer, 11 SIKHLI, led the Indian contingent, while the Chinese contingent was led by Col Zhou Jun.

The seventh edition of the exercise is being conducted after a gap of one year. The last edition of ‘Hand-in-Hand’ took place in 2016. The drill was not held in 2017 due to the Doklam stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops In Bhutan. Indian troops entered the Doklam plateau to stop the Chinese military from building a new road as it would have given strategic advantage to China. India considered it as a serious security concern.

Video of Indian troops teaching  bhangra to PLA soldiers:

Ex #HandInHand2018. ‘Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal’. Troops of #IndianArmy & #ChineseArmy sharing lighter moments after practicing gruesome Battle Obstacle Course. #Synergy #Interoperability #UnitedNations @SpokespersonMoD @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/A3saAO4T8P

— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) December 12, 2018

The exercise will consist of a balance of indoor classes and outdoor training activities. The aim of the exercise is to build and promote close relations between armies of both the countries and to enhance ability of the joint exercise commander to take military contingents of both nations under command.  The exercise will involve tactical level operations in an international counter insurgency/ counter terrorism environment under UN mandate.

Last month, India held joint military exercises with Russia and Japan. The 10th Indo-Russian Joint Exercise, INDRA 18 was held at Babina Military Station in Uttar Pradesh. The military exercise began on November 18 and concluded on November 28. Meanwhile, the first ever joint military exercise with Japan, ‘Dharma-Guardian 2018’ was conducted between the Indian Army and Japan Ground Self Defence Force at Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Vairengte, Mizoram from November 1 to 14, 2018.