New Delhi, Jan 4: India reiterated its long-standing stance against China while stating that diplomatic and military efforts are still being made by the two nations to find a solution. India’s stance towards China is widely recognised. We have had discussions in October and November about this relationship, which is not typical, from both a military and diplomatic standpoint. During the weekly media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “And the idea is that we engage so that we can have some sort of resolution.”“The commander-level meeting was held in October where there was an agreement to maintain momentum of dialogue and negotiations through relevant military and diplomatic mechanisms. And they also committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity on the ground at the border areas,” Jaiswal said. “And they also had the twentieth meeting of the WMCC (Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs) at the diplomatic level. We had our joint secretary East Asia participating there.” Jaiswal continued, saying he wanted to extract the points that were discussed “in these meetings that we had in October and November so that I can give you a little more details.”He continued, “They had a very good, in-depth, candid, and constructive discussion during which they examined all of the proposals to address any outstanding issues and achieve complete disengagement in eastern Ladakh. He said that both nations were in agreement that it was essential to preserve calm and peace along the border regions, guarantee stability on the ground, and prevent any untoward incidents. He said, “And then afterwards, the two sides agreed to hold the next round of senior commanders meeting at the earliest to achieve the above objective and to continue the dialogue through military and diplomatic channels.” The WMCC met for the 28th time on Thursday.The Chinese delegation was led by the Director-General, Boundary and Oceanic Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the Indian delegation was led by the Joint Secretary (East Asia) of the Ministry of External Affairs, the MEA reported. According to a press release from the MEA, the two parties examined the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas and had an open, fruitful, and thorough discussion of ideas to settle the outstanding problems and achieve total disengagement in Eastern Ladakh. They also concurred that it is essential to preserve tranquilly and peace along border areas, guarantee stability on the ground, and prevent any unfortunate incidents.To accomplish the aforementioned goal, the parties decided to hold the next Senior Commanders’ Meeting as soon as possible and to carry on their conversation through diplomatic and military channels, the MEA continued. 20 rounds of talks between Corps Commanders of India and China were held earlier at Chushul as part of the ongoing efforts to resolve the standoff in eastern Ladakh through general disengagement and de-escalation. On October 9 and 10, the meeting took place at the meeting point of the Chushul-Moldo border on the Indian side.In accordance with the direction given by the national leadership of the two countries and building on the progress made in the most recent round of Corps Commanders’ Meeting, which was held on 13-14 August, 2023, the two sides reportedly exchanged views in a candid, open, and constructive manner with the aim of quickly and amicably resolving the outstanding issues along the LAC in the Western Sector. According to the MEA, all parties committed to sustaining the momentum of talks and negotiations by utilising the appropriate diplomatic and military channels. It continued, “They also pledged to uphold the status quo of peace and quiet in the border regions in the interim.”External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, meanwhile, gave a reflection on India’s relationship with China on Wednesday. He clarified historical details and offered an analysis of how a more Bharat-centric approach might have changed the country’s perception of its relations with China. Jaishankar delved into India’s historical perspectives on its relationships with China, saying, “If we had been more Bharat, we would have had a less rosy view of our relationship with China.” Jaishankar stated, “Regarding the three countries that I posited, Pakistan, China, and the US, were actually three very debated relationships in our early years,” during a speech at the national capital for the book launch of “Why Bharat Matters.”The EAM cited historical documents, including notes and letters that were exchanged on China between Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country’s first deputy prime minister and home minister. He emphasised the glaring differences in opinions between the two leaders, illuminating the nuanced nature of India’s initial position on its relationship with China. “This is not something I would dream up. There is a record of sorts available. Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru have been exchanging notes and letters regarding China, and their opinions are radically different,” the EAM continued.
