In a statement to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted the progress in India-China relations, emphasizing the government’s commitment to engaging with China to resolve key issues, including the ongoing border disputes.
Jaishankar acknowledged that bilateral relations had been strained since 2020, following disturbances in peace and tranquillity along the border due to actions by China. He commended India’s armed forces for effectively countering Chinese military movements despite logistical challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister noted that recent military and diplomatic talks have made significant strides in addressing border issues, including a key agreement in October on patrolling areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Jaishankar confirmed that India and China have now entered a phase of improved relations, owing to the successful disengagement along the border.
Jaishankar emphasized that India is committed to engaging China in dialogue to establish a fair and mutually acceptable framework for boundary resolution. He indicated that future discussions will focus on de-escalation and better management of activities in the border areas. With the disengagement phase now concluded, both nations can shift attention to strengthening other areas of bilateral engagement, he said.
He explained that the prolonged tensions in the border areas had negatively impacted India-China relations overall, but now, with disengagement in place, the next priority would be de-escalation, particularly addressing the large troop deployments along the LAC.
The minister also shared that during a recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both sides agreed to convene a meeting of the special representatives and the foreign secretary-level mechanism soon. Jaishankar reiterated India’s focus on safeguarding national security while striving for a reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the border issue.
Looking ahead, he stressed that managing the border areas effectively would require heightened attention, and outlined three core principles that must guide all future interactions.
