India’s Army Chief Takes Cautious Stance on China Border Talks
(Bloomberg) - India's army chief said resolving a border dispute with China will depend on negotiations and the issue still remains "sensitive," signaling a more cautious approach from the military than recent diplomatic statements from the two countries.
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Speaking at an event in New Delhi on Tuesday, General Upendra Dwivedi said there had been a breakdown of trust with China as a result of the conflict and the border is "stable, but not normal." The "loss of trust is the biggest casualty," Dwivedi said.
The army chief's comments follow recent positive signals from the foreign ministers of the two nuclear-armed nations about progress on the border talks. China's Defense Ministry said last week that the two sides have narrowed their differences and reached broader consensus about the withdrawal of troops from some parts of the border.
Dwivedi said that while there had been some movement on the diplomatic side, the military commanders will "sit together to see how this translates on the ground." He added that "it is for diplomats to gives options and possibilities."
The two nations, which share a 3,488-kilometer (2,167 miles) unmarked border, have been locked in their worst border dispute in four decades after clashes between soldiers in June 2020 left 20 Indian and at least four Chinese troops dead.
Both sides have moved fighter jets, artillery guns and missiles closer to the border, while thousands of troops were deployed. India's government also imposed additional restrictions on Chinese businesses and investments since the border skirmish.
The two nations have held several rounds of diplomatic and military talks with incremental progress. At least two points of friction still remain.
Both sides need an acceptable solution, Dwivedi said, adding that New Delhi wants the border deployments to return to what they were prior to the 2020 skirmish.
"The Indian military remains prepared for any eventuality," he said.
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