Better relations between India & China depend on peace and tranquility at the borders: Rajnath Singh

Relations between India and China can develop only if there is peace at the borders, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart General Li Shangfu in New Delhi on Thursday.

According to India's Ministry of Defence, Singh categorically conveyed that development of relations between India and China is premised on the prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the borders.

All issues at the LAC need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments. He 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, the ministry added.

Defence Minister Singh and China's State Councillor and Minister of National Defence General Li Shangfu met a day before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on Friday.

"The two Ministers had frank discussions about the developments in the India-China border areas as well as bilateral relations," the Ministry of Defence said.

The meeting came days after the18th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting held on April 23, 2023.

During the meeting, India and China agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground along the border in the Western Sector, or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along India's Eastern Ladakh region, which saw a massive mobilisation of troops amid a tense standoff in 2020.

June 2020, a tense standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh had led to a violent face-off in Galwan Valley. Twenty Indian soldiers had lost their lives. A large number of Chinese troops were also killed though China has never officially confirmed the actual number of deaths. The subsequent months saw a massive mobilisation of military troops by both the sides.

Multiple rounds of talks since then have led to a disengagement at several points in that region. Disengagement has been completed at several places, including in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, and Gogra-Hot Springs (PP-15).