Mumbai: Russia staged joint war games with China in its latest assertion of a broader global military presence that could lead to the formation of a counterweight to NATO.
Russian President Vladimir Putin watched the air drill with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Putin announced the resumption of regular long-range air patrols that ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union, which, he said, "became necessary as other states and their allies continued patrols of their own."

The war games were staged under the flag of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional grouping that includes Russia, China and four Central Asian states.
The first Russian-Chinese joint military exercise, held on Russian soil, involved 20 aircraft and lasted for about 20 hours.

"Today's exercises are another step towards strengthening the relations between our countries, a step towards strengthening international peace and security, and first and foremost, the security of our peoples," Putin said.

The exercises follow growing discord between the West and Russia and China and rivalry for influence over Central Asia, a strategic region that has huge oil, gas and mineral resources.

Russia's growing assertiveness is also causing jitters in the West. Putin announced at the firing range that Russia was resuming Soviet-era sorties by its strategic bomber aircraft near NATO airspace.

Putin, however, rejected the idea that the SCO was turning into a counter-balance to NATO. "That is not the case," he said.

"The military aspect is not dominant and not the main thing ... The SCO is an organisation that deals with questions of a political character and an economic character ... and the economic aspects are at the forefront," he said.

While many see the war games and the presence of SCO heads of state as indication of the emergence of another mutual security organisation, others say the alliance may be hindered by the ambiguous relations between Russia and China.