Mutual trust, respect and sensitivity key for ties with China: India
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Beijing was aware of the importance of “mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity” in bilateral relations.
Relations between New Delhi and Beijing are based on “mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity”, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday in the context of reports that China provided military and other support to Pakistan during recent clashes with India.
After India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, the two sides clashed for four days, using drones, missiles and long-range weapons.
According to numerous reports, Pakistan extensively used Chinese-origin combat jets such as the JF-17 and the J-10, the PL-15 radar-guided long-range missile and other Chinese weaponry during the clashes. These developments came at a time when India and China are working to normalise their relations after a military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that lasted more than four years and ended last October when the two countries agreed to the disengagement of troops.
When external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the military assistance reportedly provided by China to Pakistan, he said Beijing was aware of the importance of “mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity” in bilateral relations.
Jaiswal noted that National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval had spoken to his Chinese counterpart, foreign minister Wang Yi, who is also the Special Representative for the boundary issue, on May 10. This was the day when India and Pakistan reached an understanding on halting firing and military actions.
“During this conversation, our NSA conveyed clearly India’s resolute stance on cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Just to underline, the Chinese side is well aware that mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity remain the basis of India-China relations,” Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal also responded to several questions regarding Turkiye’s role during the recent crisis with Pakistan and the revocation of the security clearance for Turkish-founded ground-handling firm Celebi Airport Services by saying that Ankara should convince Islamabad to end its support for cross-border terror.
“We expect Turkiye to strongly urge Pakistan to end its support to cross-border terrorism and take credible and verifiable actions against the terror ecosystem it has harboured for decades. Relations are built on the basis of sensitivities to each other’s concerns,” he said.
Pakistan’s military used several Turkish-made drones for strikes against India during the recent hostilities. There have also been reports that Turkiye delivered additional drones to Pakistan during the clashes.
Jaiswal said the issue of Celebi Airport Services was discussed by the external affairs ministry with the Turkish embassy in New Delhi and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) made the decision to revoke the firm’s security clearance.
