India, China reach pact to resolve border conflict, Indian foreign minister says

Record ID: 1849415

  • Title: India, China reach pact to resolve border conflict, Indian foreign minister says
  • Date: 21st October 2024
  • Summary: KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA (OCTOBER 21, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BODIES AND BODY BAGS ON THE GROUND / PALESTINIANS COMFORTING EACH OTHER, GATHERING NEAR BODIES VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN WOMEN CRYING, HOLDING CHILDREN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN WHOSE SON-IN-LAW WAS KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKE, UMM (MOTHER OF) MOHAMMED ASHUR, SAYING: "One of the rescuers came and told him (referrin
  • Embargoed: 4th November 2024 13:25
  • Keywords: China India Narendra Modi Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Xi Jinping border conflict diplomat exterior external affairs ministry foreign policy government military trucks minister pact patrolling peace resolution soldiers war
  • Location: NEW DELHI/LADAKH, INDIA
  • City: NEW DELHI/LADAKH, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA002KX71AVJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: India and China have reached a deal on patrolling their disputed frontier to end a four-year military stand-off, the Indian foreign minister said on Monday (October 21), paving the way for improved political and business ties between the Asian giants.
    The news came on the eve of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia for an Oct. 22-24 summit of the BRICS regional grouping, during which he could hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian officials said.
    Relations between the world's two most populous nations - both nuclear powers - have been strained since clashes between their troops on the largely undemarcated frontier in the western Himalayas left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead in 2020.
    The two sides had since stopped patrolling several points along the border in the Ladakh region to avoid new confrontations, while moving tens of thousands of new troops and military equipment closer to the freezing highlands.
    "We reached an agreement on patrolling, and with that we have gone back to where the situation was in 2020 and we can say ... the disengagement process with China has been completed," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said at a NDTV media conclave.
    The "understanding was reached only today," he said, adding: "We always said that if you disturb the peace and tranquility how can the rest of the relationship go forward?"
    To avoid clashes, the two militaries will patrol contested points along the border according to an agreed schedule, a senior Indian military officer aware of the details told Reuters.
    Both sides will monitor the area in Ladakh to ensure that there are no violations, the officer added.
    Authorities in Beijing offered no immediate response to India's remarks.
    Officials in New Delhi said the pact clears the path for a likely bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which will be their first since 2020.
    Both sides would pull back their troops a little from current positions to avoid face-offs, but would be allowed to patrol these areas according to a schedule that is being worked out, the senior military officer added.
    Monthly review meetings and regular monitoring of the contested areas by both sides would ensure there are no violations, he added.
    Slow progress during talks over the last four years to end the stand-off damaged business ties between the two large economies, with New Delhi tightening scrutiny of investment by Chinese firms and halting major projects.
    India's tougher vetting of all Chinese investment after the clashes effectively turned away billions of dollars from the likes of carmakers BYD and Great Wall Motor, and added more red tape in Indian firms' interactions with Chinese stakeholders.
    However, Indian imports from China have surged 56 per cent since the 2020 border clash, nearly doubling New Delhi's trade deficit with Beijing to $85 billion. China remains India's biggest source of goods and was its largest supplier of industrial products last year.
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