New Delhi: In a further setback to hopes of a resolution of the India-China military faceoff due to the escalation of a border row in eastern Ladakh and north Sikkim from May onwards, India has decided not to take part in 'Kavkaz 20' (Caucasus-20), a multilateral tri-services exercise hosted by the Russian military where China and the Pakistan will also take part.
The 'Kavkaz 20' military exercise from September 15-27 in Russia's Astrakhan region would have seen Indian soldiers joining hands with Chinese and Pakistani soldiers together fighting off a mock terrorist attack among other war games.
Confirming the development, a senior military source told ETV Bharat on condition of anonymity: "India will not send its contingent to Russia for 'Kavkaz 20'. It is due to both the China factor and the COVID 19 pandemic."
India's decision will hinder obvious Russian efforts to mediate between the two Asian giants as their joint participation would have underlined the capability of Russia's geopolitical strategy and greatly enhanced its stature particularly in the backdrop of the US failure to broker deals.
In the recent past, India and China had already turned down US President Donald Trump's mediation offer.
India joining the 'Kavkaz 20' would have been a dampener for the shaping up of the fledging 'Quad' or the anti-China grouping between India, US, Japan and Australia.
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