NEW DELHI: India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed concern over the continued military build-up on the disputed Himalayan border in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart General Li Shangfu.
The Indian minister, who chairs this year’s meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), reiterated that the current situation undermines relations between the two Asian powers and called for disengagement to preserve peace and tranquillity.
The two countries have massed tens of thousands of soldiers along the border since a high-altitude clash that killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops in June 2020. Despite 18 rounds of talks, both sides remain at a stalemate.
In a statement issued by the Indian Defence Ministry, Singh reaffirmed New Delhi’s position, stating that “violation of existing agreements has eroded the complete basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation.”
China considers India’s Arunachal Pradesh state as part of Tibet
China claims all of India’s Arunachal Pradesh state, considering it part of Tibet, and the two fought a border war in 1962. Both sides have regularly accused each other of trying to seize territory along their unofficial divide, known as the Line of Actual Control.
Li, on the other hand, stated that the situation on the border was “stable” in a statement published online on Friday. “We hope that both countries can work together to continuously enhance mutual trust,” he added.
In a separate bilateral meeting, Singh and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu affirmed their commitment to strengthening the security partnership between India and Russia. India’s security relations with Russia have put it in an awkward diplomatic position in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The meeting expressed satisfaction over the continued trust and mutual respect between the two countries, particularly in defence and reiterated their commitment towards strengthening the partnership.
India holds the rotating presidency of the SCO, a forum that includes Russia and Pakistan, among others, and rivals Western institutions.
