Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is in Moscow to attend a meeting of SCO defense ministers. (Proceedings)
New Delhi:
Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghi is understood to have sought a meeting with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of a key Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Moscow, people familiar with the said Thursday. developing.
Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a tense border line in eastern Ladakh for nearly four months.
Singh and Wei are currently in Moscow to attend a meeting of SCO defense ministers on Friday.
According to the information, the Chinese side conveyed to the Indian mission its wish to have a meeting between the two defense ministers.
However, there is no official confirmation in this regard.
Tensions flared in eastern Ladakh after China tried unsuccessfully to occupy Indian territory on the southern shore of Lake Pangong four days ago, when the two sides engaged in diplomatic and military talks to resolve the bitter border row.
India occupied a series of strategic heights on the southern shore of Pangong Lake and strengthened its presence in the Finger 2 and Finger 3 areas in the region to thwart any Chinese action. China has strongly opposed India’s move.
India has also sent additional troops and weapons to the sensitive region following Chinese attempts.
India said on Thursday that the border tension in Ladakh over the past four months is a “direct result” of Chinese actions aimed at bringing about a unilateral change to the status quo in the region, and said the only way to resolve it was through of negotiations.
Comments from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) directly blaming China for the protracted border standoff came even as Defense Chief of Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat claimed that the Indian armed forces are capable of handle aggressions Chinese Actions in “the best appropriate ways”.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
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