NEW DELHI: Foreign minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said the border stand-off with India is not in China's interest as it has "significantly impacted" public sentiment against it in India.
"I believe what has happened is not actually in the interest of China as it significantly impacted public sentiment," Jaishankar was quoted as saying.
"Professionally, I have seen the evolution of how the Indian public feels about China over the last many decades and I am old enough to remember much more difficult days, especially in my childhood and in my teens," he said.
Jaishankar added that he thinks the present Ladakh stand-off with China is a challenge for India, saying he's confident India will rise to the occassion.
"We are being tested. I have every confidence we will rise to occasion and meet the national security challenge."
Jaishankar further said that the real danger for China is that its "carefully developed goodwill" will dissipate due to the border crisis between India and China.
"I think real danger is goodwill so carefully developed will dissipate," said Jaishankar.
Jaishankar called the events on the border with China this year, which led to a bloody Galwan valley incident in June with casualties on both sides "disturbing", and said that they have raised some "very basic concerns" in India.
On the issue of when he sees the conflict getting resolved, Jaishankar stopped short of making any predictions. "I will not go into the prediction zone," said EAM Jaishankar.
India and China have been engaged in a border stand-off for the better part of the last six months. Both sides have held multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks. However, no breakthrough has been achieved yet.
(With inputs from agencies)