Foreign Ministry’s big statement on relations with China, efforts to change the status quo on LAC affected bilateral relations

The Ministry of External Affairs has said that even after agreeing to resolve the issues in eastern Ladakh through peaceful dialogue, China “continues to unilaterally attempt” to change the status quo at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), resulting in a “demoralised” relationship. is complicated. In its report for 2022, the ministry said attempts to change the status quo on the LAC since April-May 2020 have disturbed peace and tranquility in the border areas and India’s armed forces gave a “befitting reply” to all such Chinese attempts Is. Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has conveyed to his counterpart that restoration of normalcy would require restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas.

According to the report, the Chinese side’s “continuing unilateral attempt” to change the status quo has affected bilateral relations even after both countries agreed to resolve issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh through dialogue. India’s engagement with China is complex. Both sides agreed that pending the final settlement of the boundary dispute, the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations. Relations between India and China have been at a six-decade low since the start of the military standoff in the Ladakh sector in May 2020 and the brutal skirmish in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and injuries to at least At least four Chinese soldiers.

The two sides, which deploy over 50,000 troops in the Ladakh region, pulled back frontline troops from both sides of Pangong Lake, Gogra and Hot Springs after more than two dozen rounds of diplomatic and military talks. However, they have been unable to reach an understanding on other friction points such as Depsang and Demchok, with the Chinese side insisting that the boundary line be kept at its “proper” location while the two sides take forward ties in other areas.