It is our territory, will go there, Nirmala Sitharaman on Arunachal visit

Asked if giving shelter to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was the reason for strained relationship between India and China, she said it was not so.

What is the problem? There is no problem. It is our territory, we will go there. This was the reply by Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on China's reaction on her visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

She said the northeastern state is an Indian territory and the country is not concerned about someone else's opinion on it.

Earlier this week, China had objected to Sitharaman's first visit to the border state, saying her tour of the "disputed area" was not conducive to peace in the region.

India had rejected Beijing's objection and asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country. "We are not concerned with someone else's opinion on this," the minister, who is campaigning for the BJP in poll- bound Gujarat, said in a press conference.

Sitharaman had visited forward army posts in remote Anjaw district of the state bordering China to take stock of defence preparedness.

The minister had visited Nathu La area on the India-China border in Sikkim last month and greeted the People's Liberation Army soldiers across the border. Her "friendly gesture" had earned appreciation from the Chinese media.

Asked if giving shelter to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was the reason for strained relationship between India and China, she said it was not so. "One issue can not make or break a relationship. There are many issues. Every issue has its own weight," she said.

OneIndia News