NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control is a pre-requisite in advancing India-China bilateral ties and the two sides will be discussing de-escalation and effective management of activities in these areas in the coming days.
Making a statement on India-China relations in the Rajya Sabha, Jaishankar said the government’s next priority will be de-escalation, which will address the massing of troops along the LAC with associated accompaniments. He pointed that full disengagement in eastern Ladakh had been achieved through a step-by-step process, culminating in Depsang and Demchok.
Jaishankar said India remains clear that three key principles must be observed in all circumstances. “One: both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC, two: neither side should attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo, and three: agreements and understandings reached in the past must be fully abided by in their entirety.”
“Our relationship had progressed in many domains, but was obviously negatively affected by recent events. We are clear that the maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is a prerequisite for the development of our ties. In the coming days, we will be discussing both de-escalation as well as effective management of our activities in the border areas,” he said.
Jaishankar said discussions in the near future will focus on de-escalation and effective border management. He said the conclusion of the disengagement phase now enables India to address other bilateral issues in a manner aligned with national security priorities.
Jaishankar’s remarks come weeks after the Indian and Chinese militaries disengaged from the last remaining standoff points in eastern Ladakh, ending a four-year-long impasse. He detailed the government’s multi-level efforts since 2020 to achieve this goal, including his meetings with his Chinese counterpart, engagements by the defence minister, and boundary negotiations led by the national security advisor.
He informed the House that patrolling had resumed in traditional areas as a result of recent agreements and expressed confidence in parliamentary support for addressing the complexities of India-China relations.
“Since 2020, our engagement was therefore focused on that objective. This took place at various levels, involving different arms of the government. I myself have had many meetings with my Chinese counterpart, as indeed has my senior colleague, the Raksha Mantri. Our NSA has also engaged his Chinese counterparts, both being the special representatives, on the boundary question,” Jaishankar said.
After Jaishankar’s statement, Opposition leaders sought to pose questions but were denied permission by Chairman Dhankhar. The refusal led to a brief walkout from the House, with the Chair reminding members of their responsibility to maintain decorum.
India clear on 3 key principles to maintain ties: EAM
Jaishankar said India remains clear that three key principles must be observed in all circumstances. “One: both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC, two: neither side should attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo, and three: agreements and understandings reached in the past must be fully abided by in their entirety.”