India is being tested and will meet the national security challenge, FM says

S Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, said at an event on December 12 that India was being tested and would rise to the challenge of national security amid the current standoff between The two countries over the eastern section of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), ladakh.

“We are being tested,” He told the annual conference of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). I have every confidence that we can meet and meet our national security challenges. But other than that, At the moment I’m really going to keep my opinion open.” Mr Su described the sequence of events along the LINE of Actual Control as very disturbing and raised some very “fundamental concerns”. “What is happening in the eastern section of Ladakh is not really in China’s interest because it has greatly affected the public mood in India,” he added.

Recalling the relationship between India and China as a young man and how it has evolved over the years, Mr. Su said, “From a professional perspective, I have seen the evolution of public perception of China in India over the last few decades. I am older and remember harder times, especially in my childhood and adolescence.”

Mr. Su also expressed concern about the future of bilateral relations between the two countries and said events this year had not helped at all. “In fact, I think the real danger is that the goodwill that has been so carefully developed [between the two countries] will dissipate,” he added. Asked at the meeting when the Chinese and Indian authorities might reach a decision, Mr. Su said, “I will not go into the prediction zone at all, will it be easy, what the timetable will be and so on.” The border stand-off between The Chinese and Indian militaries in The Ladakh region has been tense for almost eight months and has failed to produce a breakthrough despite rounds of talks between the two sides’ top military and diplomatic officials.

Earlier on September 9, Su Said that india-China relations were “significantly damaged” due to China’s violation of a series of agreements on the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The extensive contacts between the two sides at different levels have so far failed to resolve the basic issue of “non-compliance of the agreement”. “Naturally,” he said, “the relationship would be profoundly disturbed.”