'India-China ties have improved of late': S Jaishankar in Parliament after border truce (WATCH)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that bilateral relations between India and China have witnessed some improvement after disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
FollowExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that bilateral relations between India and China have witnessed some improvement after disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Jaishankar underlined that India remains "committed to engaging with China" and that military- and diplomatic-level talks had successfully resolved recent border issues, referring to the October patrolling agreement for areas along the LAC.Â
India-China ties have been "abnormal" since April 2020, when the two militaries clashed in parts of eastern Ladakh, leading to fatalities on both sides for the first time in 45 years.
"Our (India-China) ties have been abnormal since 2020 when peace and tranquillity in the border areas were disturbed as a result of Chinese actions. Recent developments that reflect our continuous diplomatic engagement since then have set our ties in the direction of some improvement," Jaishankar said.
"India remains committed to engaging with China "through bilateral talks to arrive at a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement for the border issue," Jaishankar added.
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"Members will recall the amassing of a large number of troops by China along the LAC (Line of Actual Control) in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020 resulted in face-offs with our forces at a number of points. The situation also led to disruption of patrolling activities," the EAM began his remarks.
"It is to the credit of our armed forces that despite logistical challenges, and the then prevailing Covid situation, they were able to counter-deploy rapidly and effectively," he said.
Jaishankar's address to the Lok Sabha follows his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, whom he met weeks ago on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil, marking the first high-level interaction between India and China after the border deal.
India and China announced a major border breakthrough in October to end the longstanding standoff that followed the 2020 Galwan clash, during which both armies had amassed troops, military infrastructure, and temporary posts on each side. Beijing stated that a resolution had been reached on "relevant matters" and that it would work alongside New Delhi to implement the terms of the agreement.
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