In a clear message, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday told his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu that China’s violation of agreements along the frontier in eastern Ladakh “eroded” the entire basis of bilateral ties and that all issues must be resolved in accordance with the existing pacts.
At a nearly 45-minute meeting with Li, amid the three-year border row, Singh also conveyed to the Chinese defence minister that the development of India-China ties is premised on prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the border.
Li’s visit to New Delhi to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is the first by a Chinese defence minister to India after the eastern Ladakh border standoff began in May 2020.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphatically and unequivocally raised the issue of the lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh with his Chinese counterpart General Li Shangfu. In what is being seen as a strong message to Beijing, Rajnath Singh told the visiting Chinese Defence Minister that “the violation of existing agreements had eroded entire basis of bilateral relations, and that the development of India-China ties was based on the prevalence of peace and tranquility at the borders.”
The message that Rajnath gave to his Chinese counterpart was that India’s ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. This should come as a setback to China which has been seeking restoration of normal diplomatic and other ties with India without addressing the border issues properly and completely.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also told his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in the past that Beijing should not expect any headway in terms of normalizing bilateral ties without resolving the LAC standoff. A defence ministry statement said that Singh told Li that all issues at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments. This statement was also aimed at reminding China that it has violated all written pacts which were signed for peace and tranquility on borders.
“The Raksha Mantri categorically conveyed that development of relations between India and China is premised on prevalence of peace and tranquility at the borders,” the statement read. “He reiterated that violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation.”
The meeting took place days after the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) held the 18th round of military talks to ease tensions along LAC in eastern Ladakh. This meeting could not, however, make any headway in resolving the deadlock like the earlier rounds of the similar meetings.
Li’s visit to India is the first visit by a Chinese defence minister after the June 2020 Galwan clash that derailed the bilateral ties between India and China. The two sides have been locked in a border row in eastern Ladakh for almost three years. The meeting between Rajnath and Li lasted for 55 minutes, sources said. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, who was instrumental in reinforcing deployments along the LAC as the Eastern Army Commander, was also present in the meeting.
While both India and China have disengaged from the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Tso, Gogra and the Hot Springs areas since the stand-off began in May 2020, tensions remain in Depsang Plains and Demchok. Both sides have failed to make any headway with regard to Depsang and Demchok, where tensions predate the ongoing stand-off.
Days before meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Rajnath Singh had started giving strong signal to Beijing. On April 19, he had expressed confidence in the Indian Army to handle any contingency along the country’s border with China. He also said that talks would continue for peaceful resolution of the lingering row in the Ladakh sector, and disengagement and de-escalation were the best way forward.
On Thursday, Singh also held separate bilateral talks with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Iran and Tajikistan. India is hosting the SCO defence ministers’ meeting under its presidency of the grouping. Defence ministers of China, Russia and other member nations of the SCO except Pakistan are attending the meeting in Delhi. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will attend the meeting through virtual mode, officials said.