Subramanian Swamy questions EAM Jaishankar's scheduled meeting with Chinese FM in Moscow

Amid standoff at LAC in Eastern Ladakh with China, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday will embark on his four-day visit to Russia, where he is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy objecting to meet asked that why does Foreign Minister have to meet his Chinese counterpart especially after Defence Ministers have met?

'It dilutes our resolve'

Taking to Twitter,  Rajya Sabha MP stated that New Delhi has foreign policy issues to settle since May 5, 2020, and refore "PM Modi must ask External Affairs Minister to cancel his trip as it dilutes our resolve."

S Jaishankar is visiting Moscow to attend a meeting of Foreign Ministers of eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) of which both India and China are members. Jaishankar's trip to Moscow comes days after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Russian capital to attend a meeting of SCO Defence Ministers.

Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart 

On Friday, Singh held an over two-hour meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Gen Wei Fenghe on escalating border row between two countries in eastern Ladakh. In talks, Singh categorically told Wei that India will t "cede an inch of land" and is determined to protect integrity and sovereignty of country at "all cost.

An official statement said that Singh conveyed to his Chinese counterpart that China must strictly respect Line of Actual Control (LAC) and t make attempts to unilaterally change its status quo. Both Jaishankar and Wang are expected to hold a bilateral meeting on Thursday, PTI quoted people familiar with developments as saying. 

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two Foreign Ministers held a telephonic conversation on June 17 during which both sides agreed that overall situation would be handled in a responsible manner. talks took place two days after Galwan Valley clashes in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. clashes escalated tensions manifold.

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Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out details. According to an American intelligence report, number of casualties on Chinese side was 35. Tensions flared up again in eastern Ladakh after China unsuccessfully attempted to occupy Indian territory in sourn bank of Pangong lake a week back when two sides were engd in diplomatic and military talks to resolve prolonged border row.

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India occupied a number of strategic heights on sourn bank of Pangong lake and strengned its presence in Finger 2 and Finger 3 areas in region to thwart any Chinese actions. China has strongly objected to India's move. However, India has maintained that heights are on its side of LAC.

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(With PTI inputs)