S Jaishankar said that the current period “is not the easiest” in the relationship between India and China.
New Delhi:
The border dispute between India and China must be resolved through diplomacy, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday, adding that it is vital for both countries to reach an “agreement” not only for themselves, but also for the world. .
“Our position there (in Ladakh) has been very clear: we have agreements and understandings with China. The agreements and understandings must be scrupulously observed by both parties,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying by the PTI news agency.
“I am totally convinced that the solution to the situation must be sought in the field of diplomacy. And I say this with responsibility,” he said, underlining that “he is not underestimating the seriousness of the current situation or the challenges” of the question of limits.
“The reality is that what happens at the border will impact the relationship, it cannot be separated,” he said, speaking at an online event for the launch of his book.
Describing the current period as “not the easiest of times” in the India-China relationship, Mr. Jaishankar said that he had written the book “The India Way: Strategies For An Uncertain World” prior to the Galwan Valley clash. on June 15 in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.
He also said that India and China were two civilizational states that will enter the fourth industrial revolution when most other great civilizations failed to do so.
The minister’s comments come amid renewed tension between India and China over what the government has called new attempts by Beijing to change the status quo in certain areas in eastern Ladakh. The Indian military said this week that it had locked down Chinese troops in the most serious confrontation since June, which itself was the worst violence between the two countries in decades.
Tensions on the border are now at some of the highest levels since the 1962 war. Both sides have sent tens of thousands of troops to the region and India has sent more since the weekend, according to the news agency. AFP.
Indian and Chinese military officials held a third day of emergency talks at the border on Wednesday, but no progress has been reported to ease tensions.
India accused Chinese forces of seeking to seize more territory over the weekend, but its troops, including special forces, seized a series of hills overlooking a strategic valley.
China reacted angrily again on Wednesday.
“Since the beginning of this year, India has repeatedly violated important bilateral agreements and consensuses” at the border, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said in Beijing.
“It has unilaterally tried to change the status quo by force, it has undermined peace and stability in the border area and caused tension in the border area. Clearly, the responsibility lies solely with the Indian side.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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