India is committed to peaceful dialogue with China on settling the existing disputes regarding the situation in the border region of Ladakh, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday
NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2020) India is committed to peaceful dialogue with China on settling the existing disputes regarding the situation in the border region of Ladakh, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday.
Last week, the Chinese and Indian defense, as well as foreign ministers, met in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting and agreed on completing quickly the disengagement of troops from all friction areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
"We are committed to peaceful dialogue with the Chinese side, including through diplomatic and military channels.� We will keep you informed of developments in this regard," Srivastava said at a press conference.
According to the diplomat, Beijing should sincerely work with New Delhi to complete disengagement at the earliest, as well as de-escalate the situation in border areas in accordance with the bilateral agreements and protocols on maintaining peace and tranquility.
"We hope the Chinese side will strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control and not make further attempts to unilaterally change the status quo," the spokesman added.
Border conflicts are a permanent fixture of India-China relations, as the countries do not have a marked border but rather the Line of Actual Control, created after the 1962 war between the nations. However, the tensions became more strained as a result of skirmishes between the countries' border forces starting in May.
In order to normalize the situation, the commanders of the regional forces, as well as diplomats from both sides, conducted a series of negotiations. Nevertheless, tensions persist. On September 8, sources in the Indian Army told Sputnik that Indian and Chinese troops had exchanged warning shots along the LAC. The Indian Defense Ministry subsequently accused China of continuing to escalate tensions in the Eastern Ladakh region, stressing that the Indian Army did not resort to any aggressive actions.
