NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conveyed to China's Defence Minister General Li Shangfu on Thursday that the violation of pacts has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and all issues between the two countries need to be resolved in accordance with existing agreements.
The bilateral meeting is the first between the two Defence Ministers since the May 2020 standoff in Eastern Ladakh.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a statement said, “The Defence Minister categorically conveyed that development of relations between India and China is premised on prevalence of peace and tranquility at the borders.”
All issues at the LAC need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments, Rajnath added.
The Defence Minister “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,” said the MoD, adding that the two ministers had “frank discussions about developments on the India-China border as well as bilateral relations.”
India and China mobilized their armed forces in Eastern Ladakh in May 2020 which began with a clash between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops and Indian Army soldiers at Finger 4 on the Northern Bank of the Pangong Lake.
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Subsequently, the PLA had stationed its troops at multiple points along Eastern Ladakh reacting to which the Indian Army had a mirror deployment in the area leading to stand-off.
Later, after 17 rounds of talks between the Corps Commanders of the two sides there has been disengagement at multiple points excluding those at Depsang and Demchok. There was no further breakthrough in the 18th Corps Commanders’ talk held on April 23. Tensions along the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control prevail with clashes also taking place at Yangtze in Arunachal Pradesh in December 2022.
The Chinese Defence Minister is in Delhi to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting on April 28.
Rajnath also had a bilateral meeting with the Defence Minister of Iran ahead of the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting.
Regarding the bilateral meeting with Iran's Defence Minister Brigadier General Mohammed Reza Gharaei Ashtiyani on Thursday, the MoD said, "The meeting took place in a cordial and warm atmosphere. Both the leaders emphasised the age-old cultural, linguistic and civilizational ties between the two countries, including people-to-people connect."
“Both the ministers reviewed the bilateral defence cooperation and exchanged views on regional security issues, including peace and stability in Afghanistan. Further, the two ministers discussed the development of the International North South Transport corridor to ease logistic problems to Afghanistan and other countries in Central Asia," said the MoD.
Rajnath also held separate bilateral meetings with Minister of Defence of Kazakhstan Colonel General Ruslan Zhaxylykov and Minister of Defence of Tajikistan Colonel General Sherali Mirzo on Thursday. As per the MoD, “The entire spectrum of defence cooperation with the two countries was reviewed during the meetings, with focus on identifying avenues to expand mutually beneficial collaboration. Issues of mutual interest were also discussed.”
