While addressing the India-China border issue in Lok Sabha today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has stated that “I want to assure that the morale of our armed forces is high. No one should doubt it.” PM's visit to Ladakh has sent a message that people of India stand behind Indian armed forces, he said in the second session of Lok Sabha today. India and China border issue remains unresolved. Till now, there has been no mutually acceptable solution. China disagrees on border and continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in Ladakh, he added.

 

 

Violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on India-China border issue. Recalling his meeting with Chinese Defence Minister he said that, “I clearly stated that while our troops had always taken a responsible approach towards border management, but at same time there should be no doubt about our determination to protect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 

 

The Defence Minister on Tuesday made the statement in the Lok Sabha that “I request this house to pass a resolution that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces who are guarding our borders to safeguard India's sovereignty and integrity.”

 

While asserting that he wants to assure everyone that ‘we are ready to deal with any situation’, he added that “troops are accordingly being provisioned with suitable clothing, habitat & required defence wherewithal. They are capable of serving at forbidding altitudes with scarce oxygen & in extremely cold temperatures, something that they've done over last many years on Siachen and Kargil”.

  

 

China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China, the Defence Minister stated. “I want to assure that the morale of our armed forces is high. No one should doubt it. PM's visit to Ladakh has sent a message that people of India stand behind Indian armed forces”, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha today.

 

 

Citing previous situations of prolonged stand-offs in border areas with China which were resolved peacefully, Rajnath Singh said that even though situation this year is very different both in terms of scale of troops involved and number of friction points, we remain committed to peaceful resolution.

 

 

China has mobilised a huge number of Army battalions and armaments along LAC & inner areas. There're many friction points in eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La, Pangong Lake's north and south banks. Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas, said the Defence Minister. “We have told China through diplomatic channels that the attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements”, he added.

 

The Chinese side created a violent face-off on June 15th at Galwan. Our brave soldiers laid down their lives and also inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side, the Defence Minister said.

 

 

China doesn't recognise the traditional & customary alignment of the boundary. We consider that this alignment is based on well-established geographical principals, said the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha adding that both India and China agree that to maintain peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas, it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations.