'When Rajiv Gandhi went to China...': Modi govt on how Galwan clash changed ties

• Noting that the Galwan Valley clash last year between Indian and Chinese forces took bilateral ties in a ‘completely different direction’, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the challenge of how to manage the relationship with China ranks "very, very high" in India. The EAM was speaking virtually at Australian National University's JG Crawford Oration 2021. “We from 1988, when then PM Rajiv Gandhi went to China, built our relationship. It was predicated on the fact that the border would be peaceful and tranquil. We did that by a series of agreements which built confidence. After 1975 when there was a relatively small clash, there were no fatalities on the border. Yet, what we saw last year was a complete departure,” he said. “There was a very large Chinese military presence in very operational mode on the border. A very serious clash last June took the relationship in a completely different direction. In India, the challenge of how to manage our relationship with China ranks very high,” he added. Around 20 Indian soldiers died in a violent clash with China in Galwan Valley last year. Chinese troops attempted to change the status quo during de-escalation in eastern Ladakh.