Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh told the media Dec. 30 that talks with China at the diplomatic and military levels over resolving the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh have not resulted in a “meaningful solution” and that “the status quo still exists.”
Singh told India Asia News International (ANI) that if the status quo continues, there can be no reduction in troop deployment. He referred to the meeting of the working mechanism for consultation and coordination of India-China border affairs held on the line earlier this month and said the next round of military talks could be held at any time. Singh said, “Talks did take place at the military and diplomatic levels to ease the standoff between India and China. But so far, there has not been any success. The next round of talks at the military level could be held at any time. But no meaningful results have been achieved, maintaining the status quo.”
Singh said, “If the status quo is what it is, naturally how can we reduce the deployment of troops. Our deployment will not be reduced, and I don’t think the Chinese deployment will be reduced. I don’t see the status quo as a positive development.” He added, “Talks are going on and they will yield positive results, that is our expectation.” Singh also said hotline messages had been exchanged with the Chinese side. “There is an ongoing exchange of information between the two countries on what issues to talk about,” he said.
Earlier, the Indian foreign ministry said on the 18th that China and India agreed to maintain close consultations at the diplomatic and military levels. The Indian foreign ministry said the two sides agreed to hold the ninth round of senior commanders’ meetings at the earliest possible date so that both sides can work toward the early and full disengagement of forces along the Line of Actual Control and the full restoration of peace and tranquility in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols.
In addition, speaking on the months-long standoff between India and China, Indian Air Force Chief of Staff R K S Bhadauria on 29 September suggested that a serious armed conflict with India would not be in China’s best interest. At a press conference the same day, he said, “On a global scale, any serious Sino-Indian conflict would not be good for China. If China’s vision is global, then it doesn’t fit into their grand scheme of things. What are the likely targets of China’s actions in the (Indian) north? It is important that we recognize what they have really achieved.”
Badhauriya said the Chinese army has a large number of troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control, adding that the Chinese have a large number of radars, surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-surface missiles. He spoke of “their deployment has been very strong. We have taken all the actions that we need to take.” Badhauria stressed that the evolving “uncertainty and instability” on the global geopolitical front provides an opportunity for China to demonstrate its growing power, which indirectly highlights the inadequate contribution of the major powers to global security.
Badhauriya also referred to Pakistan, which is also confronting Indian forces, as a pawn of China, saying, “Pakistan has increasingly become a pawn of Chinese policy, with further military dependence in the future amid the growing debt trap associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan opens up more options for China in the region, both directly and through Pakistan.” The low cost and accessibility of simple disruptive technologies such as drones, with small state and non-state actors, gives the Chinese side more “lethality, agility and the ability to produce asymmetric effects,” he said.
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