NEW DELHI: Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the India-China pact that eases border tension between New Delhi and Beijing was the outcome of the “power of engaging in dialogue“.
He said that the consensus between both nations includes “patrolling, grazing in traditional areas”.
“India and China have been involved in talks both at the diplomatic and military levels to resolve their differences in certain areas along the LAC.A broad consensus has been achieved to restore the ground situation based on the principles of equal and mutual security. The consensus achieved includes patrolling and grazing to the traditional areas. This is the power of engaging in continuous dialogue because sooner or later solutions will emerge…,” the defence minister while speaking at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2024.
The landmark agreement India and China reached this week to end one of the longest military standoffs in recent times received the final seal of approval on Wednesday from PM Modi and President Xi Jinping, as the two held a bilateral meeting in Kazan after a gap of five years and endorsed the deal.
This, according to the Indian side, will lead to a further easing of the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
As the next step forward, the two leaders agreed in their 50-minute meeting to soon have the Special Representatives (SRs) talks on the India-China boundary question, which has not taken place since 2019, and underlined the need to take relations forward from a “strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges”.
Before the PM Modi and Xi’s meeting, External affairs minister S Jaishankar called it a “positive development” which he said would create a basis for peace and tranquillity along the border areas.
The relationship between India and China, two nuclear-armed neighbours, has remained fraught with tension since the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in 2020.
This incident marked a turning point, prompting India to increase scrutiny of Chinese investments and suspend several significant projects aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation.
In an effort to resolve the ongoing standoff, both nations engaged in multiple rounds of corps commanders-level talks. Progress was slow, but a notable development occurred in September 2022 when both sides undertook disengagement along the LAC.
Troops were withdrawn from Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of Eastern Ladakh, which was seen as a crucial step towards de-escalation. The establishment of buffer zones along the LAC provided a framework for potential resolutions.
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