India: S Jaishankar says situation with China is fragile, dangerous

• The two sides clashed in the region in mid-2020.
• At least 24 troops were killed.
• Jaishankar said he discussed the matter with China’s new foreign minister, Qin Gang.

Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar says the situation between India and China in the western Himalayan region of Ladakh is fragile, and dangerous, with armed units posted quite close to each other in some areas.

When the two sides clashed in the region in mid-2020, at least 24 troops were killed, but the situation has since been resolved through rounds of diplomatic and military discussions.

In December, violence flared in the eastern portion of the undemarcated border between the nuclear-armed Asia giants, but no one was killed.

“The situation to my mind still remains very fragile because there are places where our deployments are very close up and in military assessment therefore quite dangerous,” Jaishankar said at an India Today conclave.

In-principle agreement

He stated that India-China relations cannot return to normal unless the border dispute is settled in accordance with the in-principle agreement he struck with his Chinese counterpart in September 2020.

“The Chinese have to deliver on what was agreed to, and they have struggled with that.”

Although both sides’ forces have disengaged from numerous places, Jaishankar stated that conversations are still ongoing on the remaining issues.

“We have made it very clear to the Chinese that we cannot have a breach of peace and tranquility, you can’t violate the agreement and want the rest of the relationship to continue as though nothing happened. That’s just not tenable.”

On the margins of a conference of G20 foreign ministers hosted by India this month, Jaishankar said he discussed the matter with China’s new foreign minister, Qin Gang.

On India’s chairmanship of G20 this year, Jaishankar expressed hope that New Delhi can make the gathering “more true to its global mandate”.

“The G20 should not be a debating club or an arena only of the global north. The entirety of global concerns need to be captured. We have already made that point very forcefully,” Jaishankar said.

Russia’s 13-month invasion of Ukraine has dominated two G20 ministerial meetings in India in the previous three weeks.

Also Read

S Jaishankar reacts to Mike Pompeo remark about Sushma Swaraj

Mike Pompeo depicts Sushma Swaraj somewhat disparagingly in his new book. US...