External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar acknowledged the recent progress made in India-China relations, crediting a new agreement on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to the sustained efforts of the Indian military and diplomatic negotiations. Jaishankar underscored the challenging conditions faced by the Indian military, which has maintained its position at the LAC under extreme circumstances, and emphasized the role of diplomacy in achieving this milestone.
During a speech in Pune, Jaishankar highlighted the significance of this agreement as a major step towards disengagement, which has been a key point in negotiations aimed at resolving the military standoff in eastern Ladakh that has persisted since 2020. He also mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping recently met at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, where they agreed to have further discussions between their foreign ministers and National Security Advisors to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral relations.
Jaishankar pointed out that since September 2020, India and China have made progress in some areas, specifically in terms of troop disengagement. However, much of the current agreement focuses on implementing structured patrolling arrangements to manage interactions along the LAC safely and avoid potential conflicts. He added that the process of disengagement is an essential first step, while managing the broader boundary dispute remains a longer-term challenge.
