In its bid to become more transparent, the Chinese People's Liberation Army has invited observers from 24 countries, including India and the United States, to witness a major military exercise to be held on Tuesday in Inner Mongolia.

Some 40 military observers and attaches from 24 countries were invited to watch the military drill of the PLA, China's Defence Ministry said in Beijing [Images] Tuesday.

The exercise code-named 'North Sword-2005' will be launched in Zhurihe, an exercise base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The 2.5-million-strong PLA-held military drill in 2005 has the largest members of foreign observers, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The foreign military observers, mainly officers of para-troops and armoured forces, are from India, the US, Pakistan, Britain, Australia, Brazil [Images], Canada [Images], North Korea, Egypt, France [Images], Germany [Images], Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Italy [Images], Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Romania, Russia [Images], Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Thailand and Turkey.

"The exercise can play a positive role for the Chinese and foreign armed forces to learn from each other, promote mutual trust and understanding and deepen friendship and cooperation," a Chinese officer in charge of the manoeuvres was quoted as saying.