India in talks with China and Nepal over border dispute

New Delhi - Soldiers have been facing off in the remote Ladakh region in the Himalayas since early May.

India is in talks with China to deal with the most serious military standoff on their disputed border in recent years, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, sidestepping US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate.
Soldiers have been facing off in the remote Ladakh region in the Himalayas since early May, accusing each other of trespassing and in recent days they have dug in defences and brought equipment.
Trump said in a Twitter post the United States had told India and China that it was ready to arbitrate their "raging border dispute", the first time he has tried to throw himself into India-China diplomacy.
"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters, responding to Trump's offer. China has not yet made an official comment.
The dispute is the most serious since India and China, who fought a brief border in 1962, were locked in a similar faceoff in the eastern Himalayas that lasted nearly three months in 2017.
Srivastava said India wanted peace and stability at the border but would defend its territory.
Despite talks spread over two decades, the two countries have not been able to settle their 3,500-km border and lay claim to large tracts of remote territory in each other's possession.
"Our troops have taken a responsible approach towards border management and are following protocols," Srivastava said.
Military observers say one likely reason for the renewed border tensions is India's effort to build new air strips and roads near the de-facto border to try to narrow the gap with China's superior infrastructure.
Despite ongoing talks between the local military commanders and diplomats, there is no sign of a de-escalation, Indian sources aware of the situation said.
New Delhi says Chinese troops have intruded into Indian territory and must withdraw to defuse the crisis. The Chinese side wants India to stop all construction activity in the area, saying the whole area is disputed, one of the sources said.
India open to talks with Nepal in environment of trust
India on Thursday said that it was open to engaging with Nepal on the basis of mutual respect and in an environment of trust to resolve the boundary issue. Recently, Nepal had issued a new political map which included Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani areas.
On May 8, after Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a new road connecting the Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand with the Kailash Mansarovar route in China, Nepal protested against it and threatened to put up a security post in the area. On Thursday, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava, said at a virtual media briefing that India was open to engaging with all its neighbours on the basis of mutual sensitivity and respect, in an environment of trust and confidence.
"This is a continuous process and requires constructive and positive efforts," he said. The statement came after reports emerged that the constitutional amendment backed by Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to alter Nepal's map has been put on hold.
According to some reports, Oli wasn't able to build a consensus on the move.
Srivastava said that New Delhi continues to monitor the situation in Nepal.
"We note that this matter is receiving careful consideration in Nepal, taking its seriousness into account," he said.
India, he said, attached great importance to the deep rooted historical, cultural and friendly relations with Nepal. "In recent years, our relations have been on an upward trajectory which is evident from expanding and diversified bilateral cooperation and Government of India's increased assistance for development and connectivity projects," he said.
The government spokesperson said that it has resulted in timely implementation of several large scale and critical projects. Even in these challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic, India has ensured unimpeded trade and supply of essentials, including medicines, to Nepal, besides providing assistance in terms of medical supplies and other facilitation.

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