CEP20050829025001 Moscow Nezavisimaya Gazeta in Russian 28 Aug 05 p 3

[Report by Viktor Myasnikov: "Eurasian Triangle. Moscow and Beijing Invite Delhi To Join Them"]

The joint Russian-Chinese Peace Mission 2005 exercises which have just ended have perturbed a number of Western politicians. But they may be even more perturbed by a report of forthcoming joint maneuvers by the Russian, Chinese, and Indian armies. This was announced at the end of the Russian-Chinese Peace Mission 2005 maneuvers by State Duma deputy and former Russian Federation Security Council secretary Andrey Kokoshin. He said: "Holding joint Russian-Chinese-Indian exercises seems feasible in the very near future." Andrey Kokoshin said that "This becomes possible both within the framework of the Russia-India-China triangle that is forming and through the galvanization of the activity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization [SCO] which India joined recently as an observer." He believes that the exercises could be linked to the maintenance of stability in Central Asia and also to the safeguarding of the security of hydrocarbon raw materials on sea routes.
Andrey Kokoshin's words were confirmed by a high-ranking Defense Ministry general, who said that the holding of exercises similar to the Peace Mission 2005 with the participation of Russia, China, and India within the framework of the SCO is currently being studied. And although India so far only has observer status in the SCO, that does not prevent it from taking part in exercises.
India and China also held joint naval exercises in the East China Sea, not far from Shanghai, in November 2003. Three Indian Navy ships in conjunction with the Chinese Navy rehearsed search and rescue operations involving field firing. This increased the level of trust between the countries and opened up further prospects for military cooperation.