Srinagar, Dec 03 : External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Parliament on Tuesday that India’s diplomatic engagement with China is ongoing, to improve bilateral ties and ensure peace and security along the border following the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in June 2020.
Speaking in the house, the minister recalled the historical context of Sino-Indian relations, beginning with the 1988 understanding that the boundary issue would be settled through peaceful consultations.
According to the news agency, Jaishankar detailed a series of agreements between the two countries over the years to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC, including agreements in 1991, 1993, and 1996, as well as confidence-building measures in the military domain.
He said these efforts had been aimed at managing the relationship in a stable and constructive manner. However, the minister said the relationship had been disrupted since 2020 due to Chinese actions along the border.
The EAM said India’s position on territorial disputes, pointing out that China continues to occupy 38,000 sq km of Indian territory in Aksai Chin, which was taken during the 1962 conflict.
Jaishankar further mentioned that Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 km² of Indian territory to China in 1963.
“Despite these unresolved territorial issues, India remains committed to engaging with China through bilateral talks to find a fair and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary dispute,” he said.
The EAM also recalled the events of April-May 2020, when China amassed a large number of troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, leading to face-offs and the disruption of patrolling activities
