India firmly committed to resolving LAC issues with China through peaceful dialogue: MEA

NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday said that Chinese troops resorted to "provocative actions" to change the status quo in the south bank area of Pangong lake and the Indian side took appropriate defensive measures to thwart their attempts.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the Chinese side violated previously agreed understanding and engaged in "provocative military maneuvres" in the late night of August 29 and on August 30 in an attempt to change the status quo in the south bank area.
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"As stated yesterday by Indian Army, the Indian side responded to these provocative actions and took appropriate defensive measures along the LAC in order to safeguard our interests and defend the territorial integrity," he said in response to a media query on the issue.

He said that even as the two nations' ground commanders were in discussions to de-escalate the prevailing situation at the LAC in Ladakh, the Chinese troops on August 31 again engaged in provocative action.
"Due to the timely defensive action, the Indian side was able to prevent these attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo," he said.
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He said the actions and behavior of the Chinese side since earlier this year along the LAC have been in clear violation of the bilateral agreements and protocols concluded between the two countries to ensure peace and tranquility on the border.
"Such actions are also in complete disregard to the understandings reached between the two Foreign Ministers as also the Special Representatives," he said.

He added that India has taken up the matter with the Chinese side through both diplomatic and military channels and has urged them to discipline and control their frontline troops from undertaking such provocative actions.

He added that India is firmly committed to resolving all outstanding issues in the Western Sector through peaceful dialogue with China.
Earlier, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi had said that the India-China boundary is yet to be demarcated due to which there will always be problems and the two countries should implement the consensuses between their leadership to not let differences from escalating into conflicts.

He also said that China is ready to manage all issues through dialogue with India.
Last week, the Indian Army had thwarted a provocative Chinese army movement in eastern Ladakh to "unilaterally" change the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong lake.
The Army said it was the first major incident in the area after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel and an undisclosed number of Chinese troops were killed.
(With inputs from agencies)