New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday highlighted the nearly four-year-long border dispute with China in eastern Ladakh, saying the "tensions" seen during this period has "not served either of us well". The minister also asserted that India remains committed to finding a "fair and reasonable outcome" but one that is respectful of agreements and recognises the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
During a panel discussion at an event held late on Monday evening, Jaishankar said India "never closed doors to talking to Pakistan" but the terrorism issue should be "fair, square at the centre of the conversation". The EAM just returned from an official two-nation visit to South Korea and Japan.
Resolution in China's interest as well: Jaishankar
Sharing his thoughts on a range of issues during the 'Express Adda' panel event in New Delhi, Jaishankar said, "I think it is in our common interest that we should not have that many forces on the Line of Actual Control. I think it is in our common interest that we should observe the agreements that we have signed. And, I believe that it is not just in common interest, I believe it is in China's interest as well. This tension that we have seen for the last four years has not served either of us well."
"So, the sooner we resolve it, I genuinely believe it is good for both of us. I am still very much committed to finding a fair, reasonable outcome. But one which is respectful of agreements recognises the Line of Actual Control and doesn't seek to change the status quo. That, I think, will be good for both of us," the minister added.
Questioned on if the current dispensation will get "more empowered with more seats in (Parliament) to talk on the issue", the Union minister interjected and said, "To me, the territory of India and the fairness of a boundary solution has nothing to do with how many seats … Either it's a good deal or not a good deal. The issue today is not whether you have a political majority or not. It is whether you have a fair deal on the table that is the issue."
India-China border dispute
The statement comes as India-China relations remain frozen since May 2020 after the Galwan border clash near the LAC. India is pressing the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China to disengage from the Depsand and Demchok areas. While India has maintained that there cannot be restoration of normalcy in its relations with China as long as the state of the borders remains abnormal, China continues to press India to delink the border issue and bilateral relations and work for normalcy.
Ties between the two countries nose-dived significantly following the clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. India and China recently held a fresh round of high-level military talks to resolve the border row that witnessed both sides agreeing to maintain "peace and tranquillity" on the ground but there was no indication of any breakthrough.
A Pentagon report released last year shows that China has increased the deployment of forces and continued infrastructure build-up, including underground storage facilities near Doklam, a second bridge over Pangong Lake and a dual-purpose airport and multiple helipads, along the LAC in 2022 amid border tensions with India.
Jaishankar on India-Pakistan ties
Jaishankar also took a question on India-Pakistan ties and if New Delhi would be open to a conversation if Islamabad reached out. "We have never closed our doors on talking with Pakistan. The question is what to talk about ... If some guy has that many terrorist camps ... that should be the central part of the conversation," he said.
When asked if there could be a conversation with the Pakistani military, he said, "It doesn't work that way. It is not that we choose between this and that.As I said, we have never closed our doors to talking to Pakistan … but the terrorism issue should be fair, square at the centre of the conversation. It is the major issue … I am not saying there are no other issues. But I am not going to duck that issue for the sake of talking."
(with inputs from PTI)
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