India-China: Rajnath Singh Addresses Parliament in Border Row
New Delhi:
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh addressed parliament today on the border tension with China. He said India takes “sovereignty issues very seriously” and that the country is “prepared for all outcomes” to ensure it remains. The government’s statement comes amid repeated transgressions by Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Pangong Lake and several other areas since April. On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers died in the line of duty, the first time in more than four decades.
Here are five key quotes from Rajnath Singh’s speech:
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India remains committed to solving current problems in our border areas through peaceful consultation and dialogue. Chinese actions reflect a disregard for our various bilateral agreements. The accumulation of troops by China runs counter to the 1993 and 1996 Accords.
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The violent conduct of the Chinese forces has been a complete violation of all mutually agreed rules. The Chinese side has mobilized a large amount of troops and weapons along the LAC (Line of Current Control), as well as in the deep areas. There are several friction areas in eastern Ladakh, including Gogra, Kongka La, and the northern and southern shores of Lake Pangong.
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Our government has also increased the budget for border infrastructure development to approximately double previous levels. The morale and motivation of our Armed Forces are very high. They are capable of serving at forbidden heights with low oxygen and extremely cold temperatures, something they have done effortlessly over the past few years in Siachen and Kargil.
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China continues to illegally occupy approximately 38,000 square kilometers in the territory of the Ladakh Union. There is no commonly delineated Royal Line of Control in the border areas between India and China and there is no common perception of all of LAC. In the late 1990s and up until 2003, the two parties engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC. But thereafter, the Chinese side showed no willingness to continue with the LAC clarification exercise.
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In early May, the Chinese side took steps to hamper the normal and traditional patrol pattern of our troops in the Galwan Valley area, resulting in a clash. In mid-May, the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress FTA in other parts of the western sector. This included Kongka La, Gogra, and the north shore of Lake Pangong. While no one should doubt our determination to safeguard our borders, India believes that mutual respect and mutual sensitivity are the foundation of peaceful relations with neighbors.
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