Relations with China cannot progress without peace and tranquillity at border: Jaishankar

In clear message to Beijing, India on Thursday said any expectation of normalisation of its ties with China when the border situation in eastern Ladakh is not normal is unfounded with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar describing the “forward deployment” of troops as the main problem.

At a special media briefing on the Modi government’s foreign policy in the last nine years, Jaishankar said India also wants to improve the relations with China, but it can only be possible when there is peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

He said China is the only leading country with which India’s relations have not advanced in the last few years as it violated border agreements in 2020 and deployed large numbers of troops along the frontier.