EAM: Complicated challenge from China, India ensuring LAC status quo not changed

Ahmedabad, May 28

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India faces a “very complicated challenge” from China and the Narendra Modi government has taken steps to ensure no attempts are made to change the status quo in the border areas unilaterally.

This challenge was “very visible” in border areas in the last three years, Jaishankar said on Saturday, adding both the countries have to find an equilibrium in relationship, but it cannot be done on the terms of the other party.

“If peace and tranquillity between the two nations is disturbed, their relationship will not remain unaffected,” the minister said, delivering a talk at the Anant National University.

“When I talk about big powers, of course we have a particular challenge from China. That challenge is a very complicated one, but in the last three years it has been particularly visible in the border areas,” Jaishankar said, apparently referring to China’s incursions in eastern Ladakh.

“There are clearly responses that are required, and those responses have been made by the government. And a lot of it to ensure that no attempt is made to unilaterally change the status quo in the border areas,” he said.

“The two countries will have to find some kind of equilibrium, and all the past governments in their own ways tried to find a balance,” the External Affairs Minister said. “But that balance cannot be on the terms of the other party. Then it is not a balance. There has to be something mutual,” he said.

Mutual respect, sensitivity and interest have to be the basis of the relationship, Jaishankar said.