During a Quad meeting in Japan, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed the persistent tension between India and China. He attributed the strained relationship to China’s actions in 2020, when they deployed substantial forces along the India-China border in violation of prior agreements. This, he said, led to heightened tensions culminating in a clash that resulted in casualties on both sides. While acknowledging that the world has an interest in the situation due to the significant global impact of the India-China relationship, Jaishankar firmly stated that India is not seeking external intervention to resolve the issue. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of India and China to engage in dialogue and find a solution. This statement comes on the heels of Jaishankar’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Laos, where they agreed to give ‘strong guidance’ to finalize the disengagement process following the military standoff in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. India has consistently maintained that its ties with China cannot be normalized until peace is restored in the border regions.
