Through diplomatic channels and dialogue says Rajnath Singh on resolution with China

New Delhi, May 31: The standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control will be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh said.

He also said that India's effort would be to ensure that tensions did not escalate any further. As of now dialogue is on with China both at the military and diplomatic level. We should have good relations with all our neighbours. Both India and China have resolved incidents that arose from time to time through dialogue and existing mechanisms, Singh also said.

When asked about US President, Donald Trump's offer to negotiate, Singh said that he had conveyed to the United States that the issue would be resolved bi-laterally. The mechanism is in place and dialogue is on, he further added.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the National Security Advisor, Chief of Defence Staff to assess the situation along the Line of Actual Control. India and China have been locked in a tense stand off, especially at the Galwan Valley and Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh.

India says that it will not allow any change in status quo on the LAC. We have faced similar situations in the past and will face this one too with strength, the officer also said.

The Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi road once complete will give a major advantage. The Chinese resistance is against us completing this. It is the Chinese troops who are hindering this and we will not back down, the official cited above said.

Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh held a security review meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff and the three Service Chiefs.

The meeting discussed various aspects on India's response to the provocation by China at the border. During the meeting, Singh was briefed by the Army Chief M M Naravane about the situation at the Line of Action Control. The Army Chief had two days back had taken stock of the situation.

Since the first skirmish on May 5, Chinese and Indian troops have held talks six times. However with solution in sight, both sides continued to maintain aggressive posturing. China has told India to stop building infrastructure even on its own side of the LAC. While asking China to maintain status quo at the border, India has said that the condition imposed is unacceptable.

For the Chinese the main bone of contention has been the 255 kilometre Darbuk-Syhok-DBO road that was built last year by India on its side of the border. This has made it easier for patrols to operate and the frequency of the patrolling can also be increased.

Even as both sides are locked in a war of words, India has rejected allegations by Beijing that the Indian troops were responsible for triggering tensions. The Chinese have in fact hindered Indian patrols, India has further said.

Meanwhile the Chinese military has been fast increasing its troops in areas around Pangong Two Lake and Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. China is trying to send a clear signal that it is not ready to end the confrontation with the Indian Army. The Chinese side has increased its presence in the Galwan Valley and has erected around 100 tents in the past two weeks. It has also been bringing in machinery for possible construction of bunkers, despite the stiff protest by the Indian troops.