Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday underscored the importance of defence dialogue as India and China reached an agreement on patrolling along the LAC in eastern Ladakh after four years.
Singh said that broad consensus has been achieved by India and China on restoring the ‘ground situation’
The patrolling agreement between the two countries ends the standoff between the two armies in eastern Ladakh after a fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020.
Addressing Indian Army’s second edition of Chanakya Defence Dialogue at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi, Rajnath Singh said, “India and China have been involved in talks both at diplomatic and military levels to resolve their differences in certain areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Pursuant to the talks, broad consensus has been achieved to restore the ground situation based on the principles of equal and mutual security.”
Further stating that the consensus achieved includes patrolling and grazing in traditional areas, Singh added, “This is the power of engaging in continuous dialogue because sooner or later, solutions will emerge.
Earlier this week, India announced a major breakthrough in ending military standoff, which was later confirmed by the Chinese side.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, in a first formal talks after five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and emphasised that maintaining peace and stability on the border should be their top priority.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia’s Kazan.
Mutual respect and sensitivity should be the basis of their relationship, Modi told the Chinese president.
The Prime Minister added that he believes India-China ties are important not just for our people but for peace, stability and development.
During the meeting, the two leaders agreed that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace & tranquility in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
Further, the two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbors and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity, said MEA in a statement.
