In a first, the Chinese Army did not send an invitation to its Indian counterpart for a ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) to mark China's National Day this year, reported The Indian Express. This comes after a no-show by the Chinese in response to an invitation by India to attend a ceremonial BPM on the Indian Independence Day.
According to The Indian Express report, both India as well as China had agreed to two ceremonial meetings every year, starting from 2005, after the signing of the Protocol on Modalities for the Implementation of Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field Along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas.
These ceremonial meetings include a small cultural show, a sporting contest and a meal. They are attended by officers, soldiers and their families from both countries, reported The Indian Express.
Evidently, although tensions between India and China have reduced after the disengagement at the Dolam plateau on 28 August, relations between the two armies are still not normal.
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