To ease the situation on the border, way ahead for the two countries, is negotiations through diplomatic and military channels.

Countering China’s repeated accusations of violations on the Line of Actual Control, India on Thursday made it clear that the situation witnessed in Eastern Ladakh in the last four months is rather a direct result of actions taken by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo on the border.

“It is clear that the situation we witness for the past four months is a direct result of action taken by the Chinese side that sought to affect a unilateral change of status quo. These actions resulted in violations of agreements and protocols which ensured peace and tranquility in the border areas for close to three decades,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during the weekly press briefing.

The Chinese side on the late night of August 29 and 30 tried to open a new front with India on Eastern Ladakh when it engaged in provocative military actions in the South Bank of Pangong Lake. On August 31 too, Chinese PLA troops engaged in provocative action, even as the ground commanders of the two sides were in discussions to de-escalate the situation. But due to time action from the Indian side, Chinese attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo on the border was foiled.

To ease the situation on the border, the MEA spokesperson said, way ahead for the two countries, is negotiations through diplomatic and military channels.

India has once again maintained that it is firmly committed to resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful dialogue.

In this background, the Chinese side is thoroughly urged to “sincerely engage the Indian side with the objective of expeditiously restoring peace and tranquility in the border areas through complete disengagement and de-escalation in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols,” the MEA spokesperson said.