Source – PTI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said it is in interest of both India and China to “reach an equilibrium”, but the problem is “we are still grappling with short-term” and right now, short-term will focus on de-escalation.
An agreement was recently firmed up between India and China on patrolling and disengagement of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, a breakthrough to end the over four-year standoff.
The move marked a significant development in the pursuit of reduced tension along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
The ties between the two Asian giants had nosedived following the clash.
“It is in interest of both countries to reach an equilibrium. And, conceptually it’s difficult to do, because both are changing in an absolute terms, and vis-a-vis the world, so it’s very complex equation. The world is changing, we are changing, their relationship with world is changing and the relationship with each other is also changing,” Jaishankar said.
He said this in a one-on-one discussion with foreign policy expert C Raja Mohan after the launch of ‘India’s World’ magazine at an event at IIC here.
“So, in all these changes, how do you find an equilibrium.. That would be the preferred alternative, but the problem is right now, we are still grappling with short-term, and right now the short term will focus on de-escalation because while the disengagement has been worked out, there are others issues,” he added.
Photograph Credit : AP