Defense Minister Rajnath Singh addressed Parliament on Tuesday about India’s current border dispute with China, saying Beijing does not “recognize the current limit.”
Singh said that the Indian armed forces have thwarted China’s transgression attempts in Ladakh amid the clash between the two countries on the Royal Line of Control (LAC). He spoke at the Lok Sabha on the second day of the monsoon parliament sessions.
He added that Indian soldiers have given their lives to make sure Chinese designs are foiled, pointing to the violent clash in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June this year, when 20 Indian army soldiers were killed.
These are the highlights of his speech at the Lok Sabha:
India and China agree that it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations to maintain peace and tranquility in the border area.
The issue of the India-China border remains unresolved and there has been no mutually acceptable solution so far. China disagrees on the border.
China does not recognize the traditional and customary alignment of the border. We consider this alignment to be based on well-established geographic principles.
We have told China through diplomatic channels that attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were a violation of bilateral agreements.
China has mobilized a large number of army battalions and armaments throughout LAC and inland areas. There are many sticking points in eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La, the northern and southern shores of Lake Pangong. The Indian army has carried out counter-deployments in these areas.
I want to assure you that we are prepared to face any situation.
In meeting with the Chinese defense minister, I made it clear that while our troops had always taken a responsible approach to border management, at the same time there should be no question about our determination to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. .
The violent conduct of the Chinese troops is a violation of all the previous agreements. Our troops have carried out counter-deployments in the area to safeguard our borders.
I want to ensure that the morale of our armed forces is high. No one should doubt it. The Prime Minister’s visit to Ladakh has sent a message that the people of India support the Indian armed forces.
I call on this House to pass a resolution in which we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces protecting our borders to safeguard the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The Chinese side created a violent clash on June 15 in Galwan. Our brave soldiers gave their lives and caused costs too, including casualties on the Chinese side.
We have also faced protracted fighting situations in the border areas with China in the past, which were resolved peacefully. Although the situation this year is very different both in terms of the scale of troops involved and the number of sticking points, we remain committed to a peaceful solution.
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