‘No compromise on territorial integrity’: Shringla on India-China border row

“As far as we are concerned, there will be no compromise in our sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, as a responsible nation, we are always willing to talk. Our communication lines are open,” Shringla said.

Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on Friday said India remains firmly committed to preserving its ‘territorial integrity and sovereignty’ amid tension on the border with China. He was speaking at the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA) webinar.

Foreign Secretary of India Harsh V Shringla (PTI image)

“As far as we are concerned, there will be no compromise in our sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, as a responsible nation, we are always willing to talk. Our communication lines are open,” Shringla said.

He called the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Ladakh ‘unprecedented’.

“This is one of the most serious challenges we have faced in many decades. Also, I think if you look at the fact that we have not lost any lives on the border in the last 40 years, we have not seen this magnitude of amassing of forces on the border also in recent years, is something that we have to take stock of,” the Foreign Secretary said.

“India has been a constructive actor in shaping up of people-centric international order. We have undertaken humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief ops well beyond our immediate neighbourhood,” he said.