Jaishankar tells China to honour pacts; opines on 'large civilisational states reemerging'

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday categorically stated that agreements between India and China 'must be respected scrupulously in ir entirety' in order for rmalcy to be restored in ties between two nations. 

dressing  Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture at All India Rio-organized event on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, EAM Jaishankar said that any attempt to unilaterally alter status quo at Line of Actual Control (LAC) was completely 'unacceptable' and that relationship between two countries couldn't be 'immune to changes in assumptions that underpinned it'. 

EAM Jaishankar, who was delivering dress in lecture titled titled “India and post-Covid world', highlighted that three-dece-old stable ties between India and China were strained after outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic. Furr, he also pointed out that two countries dressed inherited challenges and new circumstances alongside 'peace and tranquility in border areas provided basis for expanded cooperation in or domain.'

“To restore rmalcy, agreements between two countries must be respected scrupulously in ir entirety. Where Line of Actual Control is concerned, any attempt to unilaterally change status quo is unacceptable. relationship cant be immune to changes in assumptions that underpinned it. Large civilizational states re-emerging in close proximity will t have naturally easy ties,” he said.

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Talking about security, EAM Jaishankar said that suggesting sweeping solutions without laying firm groundwork could only make way for 'dramatic politics' and that it couldn't be serious policy. "Our experience in last few years in expediting creation of border infrastructure in rth shows how much difference sharper focus and better implementation can make”, he said. EAM Jaishankar also stated that India would give 'utmost attention to immediate neighbourhood' while also dealing with 'different poles'.

During lecture, EAM Jaishankar drew a parallel between challenges faced by India at present and issues it faced after Partition and Independence. He also anunced that India's global approach post-COVID-19 would be more 'proactive' and would be 'driven by a global vision of its interests that it has steily developed over years'.

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Defence Minister on LAC

During monsoon session, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh me a statement on LAC situation in both Houses of Parliament. He affirmed that Armed Forces were capable of facing any challenge from China. While ackwledging that situation at LAC is very different both in terms of scale of troops involve and number of friction points, he reiterated India's commitment for a peaceful resolution of dispute. Moreover, two countries' foreign ministers have reached a five-point consensus on continuing dialogue and quickly diseng, while houring all existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs.

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LAC tensions between India and China

On intervening night of August 29-30, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops violated previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engments. Indian troops t only pre-empted activity of PLA on sourn bank of Pangong Tso lake but also thwarted attempts to unilaterally change facts on ground, with 20 Jawans making ultimate sacrifice and inflicting casualties on Chinese side that Beijing hasn't yet revealed. On August 31, MEA revealed that China once again engd in provocative action even as ground commanders of two nations were trying to deescalate situation. However, Indian Army yet again foiled attempt to unilaterally change status quo.  

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