NEW DELHI, Mar 18: The situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh remains “very fragile” and is “quite dangerous” in military assessment because of close deployments of troops by both India and China in some pockets, though “substantial” progress has been made in the disengagement process in many areas, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.
Jaishankar also said he and then Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi reached an in-principle agreement in September 2020 on how to resolve the issue and that it is for China to deliver on what was agreed to.
In an interactive session at the India Today Conclave, the external affairs minister made it clear that the relationship between the two neighbouring countries cannot return to normal until “these problems” are sorted out.
The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a nearly-three-year confrontation at certain friction points in eastern Ladakh, even as the two sides have completed disengagement of troops from several areas, following extensive diplomatic and military talks.