LAC row: EAM Jaishankar says 'India being tested', maintains 'China changed status-quo'

Addressing the 93rd Annual Convention of FICCI, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, said that  'Events of this year have been very disturbing', referring to the ongoing border face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Stating that the issue cropped up because China has not abided by agreements, he reiterated that India has been respecting and observing the Line of Actual Control by not bringing forces to LAC. He added that while India 'was being tested', we will meet that national security challenge.

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EAM: 'India was being tested'

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China pins blame on India

At an international think tank interaction on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted that the Galwan clashes, in which 21 Indian soldiers were martyred, was a big turning point for "national sentiment". Citing that China had mobilised thousands of soldiers at the LAC in Ladakh, he added that it was natural for the bilateral relationship to get disturbed. In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday blamed India for the present impasse at the border.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying claimed, “The merits of the situation at the border area are very clear and the responsibility totally lies with the Indian side. China has been strictly observing the agreements signed between the two sides and committed to resolving the border issue through dialogue and we are committed to safeguarding regional peace and tranquillity at border areas". 

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LAC talks

After eight rounds of military talks and five rounds of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) talks, the next talks too will include an MEA diplomat - Naveen Srivastava along with the XIV Corps Commander headed by Lt General P G K Menon. In the previous round of talks, the two sides which met after 50 days, had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on stabilizing the situation along the LAC. They agreed to stop sending more troops to the frontline and refraining from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground.

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Moreover, the two countries' foreign ministers have reached to a five-point consensus on continuing dialogue and quickly disengage, while honouring all existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs. Over time, the Chinese People's Liberation Army has retreated from the Finger 4 area and Patrol point 14 along the LAC, while India pre-empted PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso Lake capturing positions of 'strategic importance' in the Fingers area.  20 jawans were martyred on June 5-6 amid a violent face-off between Indo-China troops at LAC's Galwan Valley.