Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in New Delhi on Wednesday that his visit to China will expanded cooperation between the two countries.

"The visit is with the object of keeping our relationship warm and also to expand our areas of cooperation," Indo-Asian News Service quoted Mukherjee as saying.

During the visit to be conducted on May 28-June 1, the two sides are expected to institutionalize a framework for regular military-to-military exchanges.

According to Indian defense ministry spokesman, the visit "will be an important milestone and a major confidence building measure in the progressive relations between India and China".

India and China are expected to conclude a memorandum of understanding to institutionalize training and exercise exchanges and other contacts among the armed forces, defense officials and experts of the two countries, the spokesman said.

"The discussions are expected to cover India's desire to broaden and deepen defense and military exchanges with China in a bid to enhance mutual trust and understanding between the two armed forces, ensuring a peaceful environment in which they can pursue their national development objectives and maintaining peace and tranquility in the region and the world at large," the spokesman noted.

Source: Xinhua