New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS): The joint training exercise of the Indian and Chinese armies on counter-terrorism, being held near Chengdu in Sichuan province of China, has advanced to tactical exercises, the army said.

The training exercise has now entered the third phase.

"The training has now advanced to joint tactical exercise wherein the battle drills of the two armies are coherently executed. Having rehearsed and trained on counter terrorism environment, the two contingents organised into mixed companies have graduated to a stage of conducting tactical exercise jointly," said an army release Monday.

It said the two mixed companies were now operating in the exercise which was planned, coordinated and executed under a joint command.

"A scenario where both the nations are working together on a joint operation in counter terrorism has been simulated. The exercise will culminate with a joint exercise on cordon and search operations," the release said.

The joint training exercise between armies of India and China began Nov 5.