China’s defence minister General Liang Guanglie visited Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Mani Bhavan in Mumbai on Sunday.
“The minister was keen to know about Gandhi and his roots. He seemed very interested in Gandhi’s early life and asked questions with the help of an interpreter,” Mani Bhavan executive secretary Ghanshyam Ajgaonkar said. Liang was at Mani Bhavan for half-an-hour.
He may, however, not visit the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi during his official visit to India that began on Sunday at Mumbai. India Gate — which now houses
the Amar Jawan Jyoti that was built during the British Raj to honour soldiers of the British Indian Army who died fighting in wars during British rule in India.
However, in the post-independence decades, India’s political leaders and service chiefs have paid their tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to the soldiers who lost their lives in the wars that independent India fought. One of those wars is the Sino-Indian war of 1962 when Indian soldiers laid down their lives fighting Chinese aggression. Significantly, the 50th anniversary of that conflict will be observed later this year.
“During his visit, Gen. Liang will meet defence minister A.K. Antony. Detailed delegation-level talks are planned between the two sides in which a number of matters relating to defence and security will be raised. Enhancement of measures for maintenance of peace and tranquility along the borders and facilitation of
confidence-building measures between the armed forces of both the countries are expected to be discussed.
The two sides will also discuss measures to promote defence cooperation between their armed forces,” the ministry of defence (MoD) had said recently. Both the countries are also expected to take a decision on holding their third round of joint Army exercises, which may take place next year.