China has not occupied any of our land, situation sensitive: Jaishankar
Jaishankar said, “China has not occupied any of our land. China has tried to bring its troops to the upper part of the mountainous areas along the LAC but the Indian Army also responded to it in the same manner. The situation is competitive, sensitive and challenging.”
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Stating that “China has not occupied any of our land”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday that the situation along the Line of Actual Control remains “competitive, sensitive and challenging”.
Speaking to mediapersons in Pune, Jaishankar said the two countries never had troops on the LAC with both the armies deployed away from it on their respective sides. “In 2020, China brought its troops forward in some places. In response, we also advanced our units and a standoff ensued. After that, the two armies continue to battle for supremacy… but there is no encroachment,” he said.
On Thursday, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should answer what steps the government was taking on the “encroachment by China”.
Jaishankar said, “China has not occupied any of our land. China has tried to bring its troops to the upper part of the mountainous areas along the LAC but the Indian Army also responded to it in the same manner. The situation is competitive, sensitive and challenging.”
Defending the fencing of the border with Myanmar, he said that it was done for the security of the region as human traffickers and drug cartels were taking advantage of the free movement zone that existed there.
Responding to a query on whether he was going to contest the Lok Sabha elections, Jaishankar said, “You don’t really ask the party leadership such things — you let them decide what’s best for you. I am doing hectic campaigning for the party and whichever city I happen to visit frequently like it happened with Bengaluru, stories start doing the rounds that I may contest from there.”
Asked about the world’s scrutiny and continuous comments on the Indian election scenario, he said that no country had the right to comment on India’s internal matters and this has been made very clear internationally.
On his transition from being a career diplomat to a politician, he said, “Forty years of being a career diplomat does not prepare you for even 40 minutes of the Question Hour on the floor of the House.”