PM-led CCS takes stock of talks with China

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 8

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met on Tuesday evening at the Prime Minister’s residence to take stock of two back-to-back meetings with China amidst a worrying situation developing on the border in eastern Ladakh.

While Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a long conversation with his Chinese counterpart last week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday.

There is also a possibility of NSA Ajit Doval stepping in to hold a meeting with Wang in his other role as Special Representative for Border Talks.

The CCS was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Doval besides senior security officials.

The past week has witnessed a spurt in tension and aggression on the LAC, including the unprecedented firing of shots for which both sides have blamed each other.

A jostling for peaks has taken place even as military commander-level talks were going on and hopes are now being pinned on what Jaishankar said on political level talks.

In the run up to the meeting with Wang, Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla reposed faith on dialogue to resolve the border tensions and said any upward swing in ties with China would depend on the return of peace and tranquility.

China asks India to book personnel for firing shots

Meanwhile, China has asked India to hold to account its personnel who fired gunshots in the latest tension between the sides on the border in eastern Ladakh.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it made a “solemn representation” with the Indian side through diplomatic and military channels on the issue.

“We demand that the Indian side immediately stop dangerous activities, pull back trespassers, hold those who fired the shots in provocation accountable, and make sure such incidents will not be repeated,” said a Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson, who also reiterated the PLA statement on the incident.

The Indian Army has said the allegations in the PLA statement were meant to mislead “their domestic and international audience”.

However, Ministry of External Affairs has not officially responded to its Chinese counterpart's demands.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the tranquility of the border areas was “pierced by gun shots” for the first time since 1975 and reiterated the need to resolve issues through consultations and dialogue. “Confrontation does no one good,” it noted.

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