'India-China Ties Improving After LAC Disengagement Agreement': Jaishankar Tells Lok Sabha On Ladakh Border Situation

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar apprised the Lok Sabha of the recent developments at the India-China border on Tuesday (3 December) and gave details of the agreement reached regarding Depsang and Demchok.

He said that the ties between India and China are improving and that the country will engage with China in bilateral discussions to arrive at a 'reasonable and mutually acceptable framework' for boundary settlement.

Jaishankar praised the armed forces for 'rapid deployment' along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to counter China's 'amassing troops' in 2020 and said that India prioritised disengagement, which has been fully achieved.

Calling de-escalation the next priority, he said that the management of border areas needs more attention. "Restoration of peace and tranquility would be the basis for the relationship to move forward," he added.

"Resumption of patrolling to the traditional areas is underway. It was initially tested by sending our patrols for verification of disengagement on the ground and is being followed up by regular activities," the EAM said.

He said that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting in Russia's Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, both foreign ministers were directed to move forward to a solution.

After this, Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese and ASEAN counterparts.

"Disengagement has been achieved in full in eastern Ladakh through a step-by-step process culminating in Depsang and Demchok. It is now our expectation that discussion on other agenda issues will begin," he added.

Jaishankar highlighted 'significant improvement in border infrastructure which made effective counter-deployment possible' and the increased allocations for Border Roads Organisation (BRO).