External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said India and China are working to rebuild ties damaged by the Galwan valley clashes of 2020, but some issues remain unresolved. Speaking at an event hosted by the Asia Society, he stressed that a tense relationship benefits neither country.
“It wasn’t just the bloodshed, it was the disregard of written agreements…The departure from the terms of what was agreed to was very sharp and very substantial,” Jaishankar said during a session moderated by Kyung-wha Kang, President and CEO of the Asia Society and a former foreign minister of South Korea.
Jaishankar acknowledged that while the relationship has improved since October last year, certain challenges persist. “We’re still dealing with some parts of this, it is not that the issue has completely gone away,” he said. He noted that efforts are ongoing to address the damage from the 2020 clashes, adding, “We genuinely, sincerely think that this is in our mutual interest.”
India and China reached a disengagement agreement in October for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. Days later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Kazan, leading to decisions aimed at improving bilateral relations.
Jaishankar highlighted the importance of managing differences to prevent them from turning into disputes. “We do compete on many issues. But because we compete, it doesn’t mean that there should be a conflict between us. We are very realistic about it,” he said.
Addressing the broader implications of the strained relationship, Jaishankar said, “How do we benefit by having a very tense relationship with that large number of troops out there in a very hostile environment and on all the collateral damage which it has done to the relationship?” He added that maintaining peace and tranquillity at the border is essential for overall ties between the two countries.
