Five differing explanations by China for troop build-up along LAC: Jaishankar

New Delhi, Dec 09: The ties between India and China have been significantly damaged and are passing through their most difficult phase ever because of Beijing's violation of agreements on maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control, External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar said.

The Chinese side has given five differing explanations for violating the agreements by bringing thousands of soldiers to the LAC in the Ladakh sector, Jaishankar said in an online conversation with the Australian think-tank Lowy Institute.

He made it clear that extensive contacts between the two sides at different levels had so far failed to address the basic issue that agreements are not being observed.

"We are today probably at the most difficult phase of our relationship with China, certainly in the last 30 to 40 years or even more," he said. The relationship has been significantly damaged because all positive developments in the bilateral ties over the past 30 years, including China becoming India's second-largest trade partner and other engagements were based on the fact that the two sides had agreed to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas while trying to solve the boundary question, Jaishankar said.

"The Chinese have literally brought tens of thousands of soldiers in full military preparation mode right to the LAC in Ladakh. Naturally, the relationship would be profoundly disturbed by this."