New Delhi: India has asserted that the “prolongation of the existing” situation at the borders is not in the interest of either New Delhi or Beijing.
Addressing a regular media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday, June 9, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “…we have seen these reports, specifically you are talking about General Flynn (US Army’s Pacific Commanding General Charles A Flynn). Now, while we would not like to comment on what General Flynn is reported to have said, …..I would like to emphasise as we have done in the past that the Government of India carefully monitors developments along our border areas.”
He also said both India and China “have agreed to hold another round of senior commanders meeting, as decided in last week’s meeting of the WMCC. It’s our expectation that in these talks, the Chinese side will work with the Indian side to reach a mutually acceptable solution for the remaining issues, given that both sides also agreed that the prolongation of the existing situation is not in the interest of either side”.
Mr Bagchi said India is keeping its eyes on various issues “including the construction of infrastructure by the Chinese side in the western sector as well as that being undertaken in further in-depth areas”.
He said Government of India is committed to and takes all adequate and appropriate measures to safeguard the territorial integrity and sovereignty, as the developments in recent years have clearly demonstrated.
“The Government of India, has taken various measures in recent years, to develop infrastructure, along the border areas to not only meet India’s strategic and security requirements, but also facilitate the economic
development of these areas,” he added.
The MEA spokesman also said, “As you are aware, we have maintained continuous communication with the Chinese side, both through diplomatic and military channels. There have been 15 rounds of senior commanders’ meetings, 10 rounds of the meetings of the WMCC. We have also had communication at the level of the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, and the NSA and his counterpart”.
These have led to some progress as both sides have “successfully disengaged in a number of areas” along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
“We will maintain our dialogue with the Chinese side to resolve the remaining issues,” he said.
The remarks came in the wake of questions on recent comments by US Pacific Command General Charles Flynn.
General Flynn has flagged concerns over the defence infrastructure being built by China along its border with India in Ladakh as “alarming”.
Flynn, on a visit to India, also called the activities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific region “destabilising and corrosive”.
The Chinese construction that Flynn was referring to came to the fore in May 2022 in reference to a second bridge in the strategically important Pangong Tso area.
This bridge is likely to help the Chinese military quickly mobilise its troops in the region.
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