New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today asserted that India remains committed to resolve the current issues in its border areas through peaceful dialogue and consultations. Mr Singh said, India believes that mutual respect and mutual sensitivity are the basis for peaceful relations with neighbours.
Making a statement in the Lok Sabha on the LAC situation, Mr Singh said, India wants to resolve the current situation through dialogue . He said, India has been continuously maintaining diplomatic and military engagement with the Chinese side. Defence Minister informed the House that India is taking a stand on three key principles. He mentioned that both sides should strictly respect the LAC and asserted that any attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo will not be acceptable.
Mr Singh also said, all agreements and understandings between India and China should be fully abided by in their entirety. The Defence Minister urged the House to pass a resolution in support of the Armed forces, who he said, have been defending motherland at great heights and most inclement weather conditions. He said, China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in Ladakh.
Mr Singh said, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan ‘Boundary Agreement’ of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China. The Defence Minister said, India had situations of prolonged stand-offs in border areas with China in the past as well, which he said, were resolved peacefully.
Mr Singh said, even though the situation this year is very different both in terms of the scale of troops involved and the number of friction points, India remains committed to peaceful resolution. He said, violent conduct of Chinese troops along LAC is a violation of all past agreements.
Mr Singh said though China has mobilised a huge number of Army battalions and armaments along the LAC, the Indian Army is ready to deal with any situation along the border. Congress MPs staged a walkout from Lok Sabha demanding discussion on the India-China border issue
