External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that “Continuous diplomatic engagement with China since then (Galwan clashes) has set out ties in the direction of some improvement.”
He was briefing the house on recent developments that have seen the two sides disengage from along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and enabled India to resume patrolling areas it claims as its own.
But Jaishankar warned that India and China have held talks for multiple decades to resolve the boundary issue and reminded the house that “China is in occupation of 38,000 sq. km. of territory in Aksai Chin as a result of the 1962 conflicts and the events that preceded it.”
He also pointed to 5,180 sq. km. of territory in the Shaksgam Valley illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963.
“While there is an LAC, it does not have a common understanding in some areas. We remain committed to working with China for a fair and equitable boundary settlement.”
Jaishankar flagged three principles to be followed by both sides going forward. They should respect and observe the LAC. Neither should attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo, and agreements and understandings reached in the past must be abided by in their entirety.
He lauded the armed forces that despite Covid and the logistical challenges posed by terrain and weather, “were able to counter-deploy rapidly and effectively.”
He was referring to the situation in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020 when China massed troops on the LAC, leading to face-offs.
“While a determined counter-deployment of adequate capability was the immediate response, there was also the imperative of a diplomatic effort to defuse tensions and restore peace and tranquility.”
The diplomatic effort included two dozen rounds of talks between military commanders with the most recent one in August leading to the October agreement on disengagement and resumption of patrolling routes prior to the April 2020 face off.
The next step is de-escalation, Jaishankar said, which will address the massing of troops along the LAC that serves as the de facto international border. The special representatives of the two countries are expected to meet this month and hopefully there will be some movement on this issue.
