India on Thursday reminded China of its red lines on sovereignty issues, including the Union’s territory status of Ladakh, which Beijing has said it does not recognize as a military standoff continues along its border, though the minister of Indian Foreign Relations, S Jaishankar, held out hope that the talks might give way. a solution.
In a related development, New Delhi on Thursday made public its intention to hand over a submarine to the Myanmar Navy, a move seen as aimed at securing ties with its eastern neighbor amid Beijing’s concerted efforts to increase its influence on the periphery of India. The announcement comes days after a visit to Myanmar by the Indian Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla. It is considered to be in line with India’s policy of close ties with its neighbors, its Act East policy which aims to build deeper ties with Southeast Asian countries, as well as the broader Indo-Pacific strategy of New Delhi. It comes three years after India’s close neighbor Bangladesh commissioned two submarines purchased from China, much to New Delhi’s dismay. Myanmar’s acquisition of a submarine also comes amid a surge in defense hardware purchases by its neighbors in Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Vietnam, in recent years, according to the International Research Institute. for the Peace of Stockholm (SIPRI).
At a Foreign Ministry briefing in New Delhi, when asked about China’s repeated comments about not recognizing Ladakh’s union territory, spokesman Anurag Srivastava said that the centrally administered regions of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir “has been, is and will continue to be an integral part of India.” In what can be taken as a warning to Beijing, he said: “China has no locus standi to comment on the internal affairs of India. We hope that countries will not comment on India’s internal affairs, as much as they expect the same from others. “New Delhi has so far refrained from commenting on last year’s protests in Hong Kong or allegations of human rights violations in the Xinjiang province – Until now, New Delhi has also been considered sensitive to China’s concerns over Taiwan and Tibet, although the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, lives in exile in India.
Similarly, about the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety as “southern Tibet”, Srivastava said that the region “is an integral and inalienable part of India. This fact has also been clearly conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions. ” , even at the highest level. “
China’s comments disputing the sovereignty of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh come as the military standoff along its border in Ladakh entered its sixth month. India first noticed multiple intrusions by the People’s Liberation Army in Ladakh in May. Tensions have reached an unprecedented level and both sides have suffered casualties for the first time in 45 years.
In his comments, Srivastava said that the talks earlier this week between the military commanders of the two countries “were positive and constructive” and that they “have a better understanding of each other’s positions.”
“Withdrawal is a complex process that requires the redeployment of troops by each side to their regular posts on their respective sides of the LAC (Line of Royal Control) border,” he said, adding that “the two parties will maintain the current momentum of the communications “.
Speaking at an event hosted by the US news agency Bloomberg, Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar said when asked about the tensions between India and China, he said that discussions were ongoing to break the deadlock. Refusing to be drawn into a discussion on the matter, the minister said he would like to “wait and see how this unfolds.” The situation along the India-China border was an indicator of the inability of a rising China and a rising India. To find a balance. The India-China bilateral relationship was based on peace and quiet on the border and if that is disturbed, “that is the main cause of rupture” in ties, he said. The problem was not created by India, he added.
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