New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday said that China tried to coerce India in 2020 during the Galwan stand-off by violating agreements, so unless there was peace on the borders, there cannot be normalcy in bilateral relations.
While addressing a press conference on the occasion of highlighting the achievements of the NDA government’s nine years in office, the Minister said that there were challenges of cross-border terrorism when it comes to bilateral relations with Pakistan, which India has never tolerated.
He said that India does not get swayed by coercion, inducements and false narratives.
Jaishankar added that India has de-legitimised cross-border terrorism.
However, at the same time, he explained that bilateral engagement will continue with China, as disengagement (on borders) is a detailed process.
“We want peace with China, but if peace agreements are violated then what can be done. However talks happen. We spoke to China just before Galwan happened… We told them about movement of their troops. I spoke to them just a day after Galwan. We have to find a way to disengage, otherwise relations (with China) will remain impaired if the border situation doesn’t improve,” he said.
Jaishankar described the situation in Galwan as “complicated”.
“It is not about capturing of land by China (he said in response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s charges of China capturing a significant amount of land after Galwan). Both sides made forward deployments,” he explained.