Talks will resolve border standoff with China, says Diffence Minister Rajnath Singh

Srinagar: On a visit to Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday hoped the ongoing talks would resolve the border standoff with China but said he cannot guarantee the extent of success, and asserted that no power in the world can touch even an inch of India’s land.

Addressing the Army and ITBP jawans at a forward post in Lukung, Singh said if there is an attempt to hurt the self-respect of India, then it will not be tolerated and will be given a “befitting reply”.

“Whatever progress has been made in the talks, there should be a resolution of the matter. But to what extent it will be resolved, I cannot guarantee. However, I would like to assure that no power in the world can touch even one inch of India’s land, nobody can occupy it,” the defence minister said at the post located on the banks of the Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh.

Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for over eight weeks since May 5.

The tension escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley.

Singh said the best thing would be for the matter to be resolved through talks and the process was underway at both the military and diplomatic level. “We do not want unrest, we want peace. It has been our character that we have never tried to hurt the self-respect of any country. If there is an attempt to hurt the self-respect of India, then we will not tolerate it and will give a befitting reply,” he said. (PTI)