VIDEO| Kiren Rijiju’s Diwali: Meets China PLA’s Soldiers in Arunachal

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju shared a video on Friday revealing his interaction with soldiers from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) along the Sino-Indian border near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. Rijiju was visiting an Indian Army post in the region to celebrate Diwali with Indian troops stationed there.

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In the video, posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs can be seen speaking with three PLA soldiers through an interpreter. During the conversation, Rijiju inquired about the soldiers’ well-being and how they manage while posted at such a high-altitude area, located at an elevation of 15,000 feet. The Chinese soldiers assured him that they were well-adjusted to the environment and had no difficulties performing their duties in the region.

Reflecting on the interaction, Rijiju wrote on X, “After talking to Chinese soldiers and seeing the infrastructures, everyone will feel proud of India’s border development now.” Rijiju, who is originally from Arunachal Pradesh, also spent time with Indian Army personnel, sharing Diwali celebrations with them in the spirit of solidarity. “Since you are far away from home during Diwali, we have also decided to be away from home and spend time with you,” he expressed to the soldiers, emphasizing his support for the troops stationed in the remote, challenging terrain.

India-China Border Issue

Rijiju’s meeting with Chinese soldiers came just a week after India reached an agreement with China on a plan for patrolling the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This agreement marked significant progress in efforts to resolve the military standoff that has persisted for over four years. The recent breakthrough followed a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit held in Russia.

In a show of goodwill, Indian and Chinese troops exchanged Diwali sweets at multiple points along the LAC, a tradition marking mutual respect and temporary harmony on festive occasions. This exchange came shortly after the completion of disengagement at two long-standing friction points in eastern Ladakh, specifically Demchok and the Depsang Plains.

The relationship between India and China has faced severe strains since April 2020 due to heightened Chinese military activity along the LAC, the de facto border. Tensions escalated further on June 15, 2020, when 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the line of duty while preventing a Chinese advancement in the Galwan Valley. This incident marked one of the deadliest encounters in recent history between the two nations, pushing bilateral relations to a breaking point.

Rijiju’s engagement with PLA soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh underscores the delicate and complex nature of the India-China relationship, which continues to be influenced by efforts toward peace on one hand and strategic caution on the other.