Article Posted on : - Feb 07, 2014

NEW DELHI (PTI): China has not responded to the Indian invite to send its delegation to the biennial military exhibition Defexpo, Defence Minister A K Antony has said.

"Chinese delegation was invited for the show but so far they have not come and not given any intimation," he said on Thursday at a press conference at the military show.

Defence Ministry officials said though the delegation from that country was invited, Chinese military hardware firms were not allowed to take part in the show as exhibitors.

The development comes at a time when India and China have signed a Border Defence Cooperation Agreement and are in the process of developing mechanisms for having a better understanding between the two Armies at the borders.

Commenting on the ceasefire violations between India and Pakistan at the Line of Control, the Defence Minister said there has been a dip in these incidents after the talks between the Director Generals of Military operations of the two sides at the Wagah border on December 23.

"After the talks, there has been a dive in the number of such incidents but the real test will be in the summer months," he said.

Commenting on the situation in Afghanistan, the Defence Minister said India has "no military role" in that country but it was concerned at the fallout of the withdrawal of the US forces from there by the end of this year.

He said Indian forces were ready to face any challenge emerging out of the situation and were fully prepared for it.