External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s remarks came after meeting the Australian Minister
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said after a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Maris Payne in Melbourne that China’s decision to mobilize troops along the Line of Actual Control was a violation of its written commitments, where the India-China situation was discussed.
The remarks came amid global concerns over tensions in Ukraine as Russia and NATO mobilized troops along the border. While Mr Jaishankar brushed aside several questions as to whether India was on the “same page” of Western countries on the situation in Ukraine, where the US has declared that Russia could attack “at any time”, he called for diplomacy to work. called upon.
“Event [at the LAC in Ladakh] It has arisen because of China’s defiance of written agreements with us in 2020, not people’s forces on the border. So, when a large country defies written commitments, I think it is a matter of legitimate concern to the entire international community,” Mr Jaishankar told reporters during a press conference.
Mr Jaishankar also rejected a Chinese statement attacking the Australia-India-Japan-United States Quad Forum, which he found on Friday as a “tool to control China”, saying that The objective of the Quad was “peace, prosperity, stability in the region”.
“Our record and our actions and our stance is quite clear and by repeatedly criticizing it, it doesn’t make us any less credible,” he added in response to the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman calling the Quad ministerial meeting “to provoke confrontation.” For a deliberate move.”
On a lighter note, Mr Jaishankar said anyone skeptical of the Quad’s “positive” agenda should see a visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) by Ms Payne and her, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa. , where two cricket-playing nations India and Australia taught baseball-enthusiasts America and Japan about the intricacies of spin bowling.
Speaking about the bilateral agenda, Mr. Jaishankar welcomed Ms. Payne’s announcement for Australian scholarships and fellowships for Indian students as part of a new “Friendship Initiative” that will enable more students to study at Australian universities, Especially now that the travel restrictions have been lifted. ,
Mr Jaishankar’s remarks on China’s broken commitments are the strongest such remarks in recent weeks on the situation in the LAC, where Chinese PLA troops have encroached upon the area since April 2020.
In contrast, in January, after the 14th round of border commander talks, Army Chief General Manoj Naravane had said that their talks were “positive and encouraging” and that “five out of five or six” points in the talks had already been resolved. Were. , the comments were criticized because it left out areas such as the Depsang plains and Demchok where Chinese soldiers live.
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