WATCH: 'PM Modi sent Army to LAC, not Rahul Gandhi', Jaishankar tears into Congress

The external affairs ministers reaction comes after a series of allegations by the Congress, especially Rahul Gandhi over deployment of army at the Indo-China border.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday came down heavily on Congress for repeatedly questioning the Centre over border skirmishes with China, saying that "it was Narendra Modi and not who has sent troops to LAC."

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Jaishankar asserted that India has sent troops to the LAC in large numbers during border tensions with China amid Congress's charge that the Centre is not doing enough to counter the threat.

Responding to Congress's allegation that neither PM Modi nor Jaishankar ever mentioned China in their statements, Jaishankar said that India currently has the largest peacetime deployment in the history along the China border. He then enunciated the word "China".

"If we were being accommodative, who sent Indian Army to LAC? Rahul Gandhi did not send it, Narendra Modi sent it. We have today, the largest peacetime deployment in our history on China border. See I said China- C-H-I-N-A," Jaishankar asserted.

The external affairs ministers reaction comes after a series of allegations by the Congress, especially Rahul Gandhi over deployment of army at the Indo-China border.

Rahul had in September last year said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given "100 square kilometres of Indian territory" to China "without a fight," and asked the government how it will be retrieved.

The Congress leader had also claimed that China is preparing itself to wage a war against India and the Indian government which is in deep slumber is not accepting that but hiding facts from the country.

"China is preparing for war, not for an incursion. See their pattern of weapons. They are preparing for war. Our government is not accepting it. The government of India is working on events, not on strategy," Rahul said in Rajasthan during Bharath Jodo Yatra.

"China has taken our land. They are thrashing our security forces personnel in Arunachal. The threat of China is clear. And the government is hiding it, ignoring it. China is preparing for an offensive in Ladakh and Arunachal. And the government of India is sleeping," Gandhi said.

"We should understand what is happening. The External Affairs Minister keeps giving statements, but he should deepen his understanding," he added.

The ties between India and China nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers and heavy weaponry.

Following the eastern Ladakh standoff, the Indian Army significantly bolstered its operational capabilities along the LAC in the eastern theatre.

India has been maintaining that its relationship with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. India has been ramping up the development of infrastructure along the near 3,500-km LAC following the eastern Ladakh standoff that began on May 5, 2020.