A file photo of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Diplomats and military leaders from China and India have been engaged in bilateral talks, as both countries try to resolve the ongoing standoff between the two countries at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated during a TV interview on Tuesday. The minister disclosed that high-level military talks between India and China have been scheduled for June 6. "I have learned from the Indian Army today that there could be bilateral talks between very senior military officials from the Indian and Chinese side on June 6," Singh was quoted as saying during the interview.
"I can assure all Indians that we are up to the challenge of defending the nation's territorial sovereignty... The talks are ongoing between the two sides and we are hopeful of solving the standoff," he said.
Singh also said during the interview that the situation at the LAC at the moment was delicately poised, with troops from both the armies engaged in a face-off at the border.
Separately, India TV's correspondent Manish Prasad reported that "major-level" talks between the two militaries took place in Ladakh on Tuesday. While the talks on Tuesday failed to achieve any significant breakthrough, the discussion is said to have ended on a "positive note," sources told India TV.
In an earlier interview given to another news channel last week, Singh had said that the talks were ongoing between New Delhi and Beijing since the standoff began in Leh earlier last month. "India’s policy had been very clear... we should have good relations with all neighbours,” Singh had been quoted as saying back then, as he added that both the countries had mechanisms in place to resolve the incidents at the border that arose from time to time.
(with inputs from Manish Prasad)
