The two emerging Asian nations have had an often fractious relationship over their shared border, and they halted joint military exercises after 2008 due to a series of diplomatic spats including over visa issues.
"We have decided that (to restart military exercises)," Antony told reporters following talks with General Liang Guanglie, the first Chinese defence minister to visit Delhi in eight years.
"We covered a lot about the situation in the South Asia, Asia-Pacific region," Antony said. "We had a very frank and heart-to-heart discussion on all the issues... including in the border areas."
The disputed border between India and China has been the subject of 14 rounds of fruitless talks since 1962, when the two nations fought a brief, bloody war over the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
China's buildup of military infrastructure along the frontier has become a major source of concern for India, which increasingly sees Beijing as a longer-term threat to its security than Pakistan.
"We have reached a consensus on high-level visits and exchange of personnel, maritime security... and cooperation between the two navies," Liang said after Tuesday's talks.
"I had candid and practical discussion with the defence minister," he added.
Liang's four-day visit also comes amid Indian fears about increased Chinese activity in countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh which New Delhi sees as within its sphere of influence.
The presence of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in the Indian hill town of Dharamshala is another cause of prickly relations between the two nations.
Heavy security on Tuesday prevented demonstrations by Tibetan exiles living in Delhi.
On Sunday, Tibetan exiles held a small demonstration close to the Chinese embassy in New Delhi to protest against Liang's visit, burning a Chinese flag and shouting slogans demanding freedom for Tibetans living in China.
While in Sri Lanka before arriving in India, Liang stressed China sought only "harmonious co-existence" with other countries.
"The Chinese army's efforts in conducting friendly exchanges and cooperation... in South Asian nations are intended for maintaining regional security and stability and not targeted at any third party," Liang said.
The first Indian and Chinese joint military exercise was held in Kunming, China in 2007, and the second in Belgaum in India in 2008.
A third session in China was postponed following a deterioration in relations, including over China's refusal to offer a visa to a senior army officer stationed in Kashmir, the scene of one of the border disputes.
An Indian spokesman said that the ministers had also agreed on improving coordination in tackling rampant piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.
COMMENTS (21)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Lala Gee:
India and China are mature enough to keep differences from friendship & trade.
.........no nation in this world has ever been able to keep people in bondage against their wishes for indefinitely. Exactly. Free Baluchistan.
@Lala Gee: Delusional!India has not given up hope for even a penny of land.Parity with china......No one has invited chinese defense minister to visit india.These chinese r very much clever.After Paneeta offer to india,these chinese r back on the track.They r greatly threatened by Indo-Us deal. Nevertheless we r prepared too.If chinese do not change their stance on AP we have no option left else to ally with US.And That will prove disaster for subcontinent.As far as pak is concern only one thing i like to say"Beggar can never be chooser".
I guess India has finally given up (Aksai Chin, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tibet) as she lost her hopes of any parity with China. A good development for the peace in the region. India should also follow the same strategy with Pakistan and solve all the overdue disputes amicably and quickly. No nation is this world has ever been able to keep people in bondage against their wishes for indefinitely.
in the meanwhile, China is to take over the management of Gwadar Port; Pakistan should have little concern about Sino-Indian military exercises (normal between most militaries) and more about its ever increasing dependence on one country.
@wolfie loves kulfi: Hahahha But History can not be erased. China did Kick Hindu Rear in 1962. And that is the only fact. No nation was of equal size and then it was decided that Hindu was inferior. LOL
I was just being sarcastic guys.. I just wanted to force a thought into your minds that these old perceptions that China is Pakistan's friend and India is the bitter foe.. no longer hold good in modern world where your economic conditions will decide the types of friends and foes you're going to have.!!
@Wiseman: I was just being sarcastic... That's the whole statement I wanted to make... I guess you are not smart enough to understand the underlying irony in my comment. ;-) :-)
@Obedullah: as pakistani is a good that india and china has friendship ,so think about future of are region,if china pakistan and india to gather it will creat world super power might,
All weather friendship is fine and nice to talk about ,but where money matters it is different.do not forget India is a bigger market than Pakistan can ever be.Like USA,Europe ,Japan they are big markets for China.They will never antagonize them.Chinese are sensible and not idealistic.As the saying goes,In God they may trust but they deal strictly in cash.
China has performed joint military operation with lots of nations so this shouldn't be considered a big deal. What is notable is that China has elected to perform this joint operation knowing it will offend Pakistan - might make some in Pakistan reconsider some of those gushing "best buddy" comments we often read.
Ha ha...And he isn't visiting Pakistan. Where is sweeter than honey friendship
I like India's soft power approach on this its shows maturity in regrads with china. after all its was president Roosevelt who once said " Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far" going over board with friendship with china like both china and India had that Hindi - chini bhai bhai concept of the 50's friendship which ended up givng us the 1962 Skirmish so its better never to trust china completely and be relavent while dealing with china as we are now
I think even china has realised its 2012 India is no longer a weak nation as it was in 1962 and trade is the only way out to solve bilateral issues between China and India
I like India's soft power approach on this its shows maturity in regrads with china. after all its was president Roosevelt who once said " Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far" going over board with friendship with china like both china and India had that Hindi - chini bhai bhai concept of the 50's friendship which ended up givng us the 1962 Skirmish so its better never to trust china completely and be relavent while dealing with china as we are now
I think even china has realised India is no longer a weak nation as it was in 1962 and trade is the only way out to solve bilateral issues between China and India
Hindi-Chini again bhai-bhai and Pakistan bye-bye.
Will it be Russia now as best friend for Pakistan.
@Obedullah: What made you think that China is Pakistan's "best friend in the world"?!!! Did you forget China role in 1971? A country like China has only one friend, it own self interest. Are you that naive to think that china will favor Pakistan over India?!!!!
Caption of the photo should be Chinese husband holding hand of indian bride
Seems the Chinese are finally side-stepping Pakistan for India's economy. Like they say: "Show me the money."
@Obedullah: There are no permanent friends or foes in IR. :) Our all weathered friend can be our bitterest enemy in no time. Its all a game of interests.
What is China (Pakistan's best friend in world) doing with India(Pakistan's worst enemy in the world)??????