China disturbing peace in border areas will impact relationship with India: EAM Jaishankar

India

pti-PTI

Bengaluru, Aug 12:
External
Affairs
Minister
S
Jaishankar
on
Friday
said
India
has
consistently
maintained
its
position
that
if
China
disturbed
peace
in
the
border
areas,
it
will
have
an
impact
on
the
bilateral
relationship.

“We
have
had
15
rounds
of
talks
at
the
commanders’ level
but
there
are
experts
also
attending
along
with
the
commanders.
We
have
made
some
progress,
some
substantial
progress
in
terms
of
the
sides
pulling
back
from
places
where
they
are
very
close,”
Jaishankar
told
reporters
during
an
interaction
here.

“There
are
still
some
places
where
they
have
not,
but
we
have
consistently
maintained
the
position
that
if
China
disturbs
the
peace
and
tranquility
in
the
border
areas,
it
will
have
an
impact
on
the
relationship,” he
added.

Jaishankar
was
replying
to
a
query
on
the
troubled
relationship
with
China
after
the
clash
in
Ladakh
two
years
ago.
“I
have
said
in
2020
and
2021
and
I
continue
to
say
in
2022
—
our
relationship
is
not
normal.
It
cannot
be
normal
if
the
border
situation
is
not
normal
and
the
border
situation
right
now
is
not
normal,”
Jaishankar
explained.

He
said
the
border
situation
remained
a
big
problem
as
the
military
has
been
holding
its
ground
for
two
winters.
“It’s
something
which
has
been
a
very
resolute
and
strong
position
by
the
government
which
has
been
implemented
on
the
ground
by
the
armed
forces.
Obviously,
because
our
positioning
is
very
close,
it’s
a
very
tense
situation,
it
also
could
be
a
dangerous
situation,
so
we
are
having
talks,”
the
minister
said.

Jaishankar
said
the
Russia-Ukraine
war
has
led
to
a
sharp
rise
in
fuel
prices.
Trade
and
imports
were
hit,
especially
the
import
of
sunflower
oil.
He
said
India
has
always
taken
the
view
that
the
conflict
is
not
in
anybody’s
interest.
Dialogue
and
diplomacy
are
the
best
answers
and
India
kept
reiterating
the
same
message.