External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has strongly refuted claims of a recent Chinese incursion into Arunachal Pradesh, emphasizing India’s steadfast patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Speaking at ‘The Conclave 2024’ hosted by Pratidin Time in New Delhi on Oct 5, Jaishankar responded to a question rather harshly. “China entered the border in 1959! What are you talking about?”
He reiterated that India’s patrolling along the LAC, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, has remained robust for over a decade.
"I can tell you in terms of our patrolling in the LAC, there has been no major change in the last five-ten years or maybe even longer," he said. '
Notably, China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh as its part for decades. In April this year, China released a list of 30 places in Arunachal Pradesh in a bid to assert its claim over India's northeastern state.
India had rejected renaming of places by China, stating that assigning invented names will "not alter the reality that the state will always be an integral and inalienable part of India."
Commenting on India’s diplomatic ties with Bangladesh, Jaishankar stressed the significance of maintaining sturdy relations amid potential political disruptions.
“We are close neighbors. Our connections today are very strong. The movement of people between us is also very large." he said, adding, “The India-Bangladesh relationship has significantly deepened over the last decade.”
Jaishankar noted that foreign policy must be equipped to handle both, smooth and disruptive political transitions.
"In every country, in politics, there are changes. Sometimes, the changes are smooth, sometimes they are disruptive. But to me, what foreign policy should do is to plan for this change.” he said.
“India needs to build such a strong relationship that regardless of political changes, the relationship should be big enough, deep enough, important enough for it to absorb those changes," he added.
Referring to India’s long-standing bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Jaishankar said, “More and more countries today accept that there should be change and that India should be one of the countries but persuasion, and negotiation are still needed to achieve this goal.”
Pertinently, India’s pursuit of a permanent UNSC seat has gained considerable attention, especially with growing global support during the recent UN General Assembly session.
