NEW DELHI: Relations between India and China are "significantly strained," said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday, pointing out that the main worry is the patrolling situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
"The key issue at the moment is how both countries patrol up to the LAC. Patrolling arrangements have been disrupted since 2020," he said, referring to the Galwan clash at the LAC four years ago.
Jaishankar spoke at an event called "India, Asia, and the World" organized by the Asia Society and the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York.
The Union Minister also made a reference to India's vexed and trying history with China while talking about the 1962 conflict.
It was 14 years after the war, and yet another 12 years before an operational framework came into existence. The framework, he said was founded on peace across the border.
Jaishankar said that in the course of time, several agreements were worked out to ensure peace. With each agreement, more defined provisions were added to stabilize the border.
He noted, however, that in 2020 China established a major force at the Line of Actual Control, yet again violating these agreements.
Jaishankar said once troops were stationed close to each other, which he termed "very dangerous", the possibility of an incident multiplied and in fact did unfold with casualties on both sides.
He pointed out that this development has put a strain in the relationship between India and China and added that there was a need to re-establish peace and calm along the border, if real progress in the broader bilateral relationship is going to be achieved.
Jaishankar pointed out that during the last four years, most of the energy has gone toward disengagement. As of now, both sides still have forward-deployed forces.
Clarifying his earlier statement regarding 75% progress on the border issue, he said: "That figure has relevance only to the disengagement process."
He noted the unique situation of India and China: "The only two such neighbors, both with more than a billion, and who were emerging as global powers.".
His comments indicated that their overlapping areas are especially complex due to their common border. The rise of India and China at the same time on the global scene offers a challenge unique unto themselves in the world stage.
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