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'Broad consensus': What Rajnath Singh said on India-China Ladakh truce
Earlier this week, New Delhi said an agreement was reached with the Chinese side regarding patrolling which will lead to complete disengagement.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that a broad consensus has been achieved between India and China on "patrolling" and “restoring ground situation” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. His remark came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a bilateral dialogue after five years.
India and China had been embroiled in a standoff in eastern Ladakh due to Beijing's aggressive stance along the Line of Actual Control. India had said New Delhi's ties with China wouldn't normalise until the situation at the LAC returned to what it was before May 2020.
Earlier this week, New Delhi said an agreement was reached with the Chinese side regarding patrolling which will lead to complete disengagement.
Rajnath Singh today said the consensus achieved includes patrolling and grazing in the traditional areas.
"India and China have been involved in talks both at the diplomatic and military levels to resolve their differences in certain areas along the LAC. A broad consensus has been achieved to restore the ground situation based on the principles of equal and mutual security. The consensus achieved includes patrolling and grazing in the traditional areas. This is the power of engaging in continuous dialogue because sooner or later solutions will emerge," he said at an event.
Ties between the two countries deteriorated in June 2020 after a military clash killed at least 20 Indian soldiers and several Chinese troops.
India-China truce in Ladakh
India announced on Monday that the two countries agreed to a pact on the resumption of military patrols along the Line of Actual Control.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said the pact will lead to the “disengagement” of troops at LAC.
China confirmed the agreement a day later, saying the two sides had reached resolutions related to their border.
“China will work with India to implement these resolutions properly,” Lin Jian, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday.
Also read: Narendra Modi to Xi Jinping: ‘Maintaining border peace priority’
What happened at the Modi-Xi meeting?
PM Modi attended a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia's Kazan on Wednesday and said maintaining peace and stability on the border should remain “our priority”.
"This is our first formal meeting after five years. Excellency, we welcome the agreements that we have reached over the border. Maintaining peace and tranquillity over the border should remain our priority, and mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity should remain the basis of our relationship. I am confident that we will hold talks with an open heart and our discussions would be constructive," PM Modi said at the meeting.
Also read: 'Indictment of PM's gullibility': Congress asks 6 questions on truce with China in Ladakh
PM Modi also welcomed the "consensus" reached between the two countries at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.
“We welcome the consensus reached on the issues that have arisen in the last 4 years on the border,” he added.
Xi Jinping said it is important for India and China to have more communication and cooperation and properly handle "differences and disagreements".
