India Denies Trump’s Involvement in Mediation to End Face off with China

Amid prevailing tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India has said that the country was engaged diplomatic and military level talks with China. India believes in ending the border standoff that involves thousands of troops even as it tacitly ruled out any possibility of US mediation to end the face-off.

Since tensions flared along the LAC after violent clashes involving hundreds of soldiers in Sikkim and Ladakh sectors early this month, both sides have deployed additional soldiers, especially in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh. India has said it will oppose any unilateral attempts to alter the status quo along the LAC. Faced with a flurry of questions on the standoff and whether India agreed with China’s characterization of the situation as “stable and controllable”, external affairs ministry spokesperson, Anurag Srivastava, told a virtual news briefing that both sides are engaged at different levels to address tensions, but New Delhi will make no compromises on sovereignty and national security.

Asked specifically about US President, Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between the India and China, Srivastava denied third party involvement in these issues. He said, “As I’ve told you, we are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue”. India and China, he said, have established mechanisms at military and diplomatic levels to peacefully resolve situations that may arise in border areas through dialogue, and “continue to remain engaged through these channels”. He reiterated that the India troops had not violated the LAC, a charge leveled by China soon after the standoff became public.

Sivastava said, “India is committed to the objective of maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas with China and our armed forces scrupulously follow the consensus reached by our leaders and the guidance provided. At the same time, we remain firm in our resolve to ensuring India’s sovereignty and national security”.