Progress on Border Talks with China: 75% of Disengagement Issues Resolved, Says Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted that 75% of disengagement problems with China have been resolved, though challenges remain. He discussed the historically complex India-China relationship, citing 2020's Galwan Valley clash and ongoing trade imbalances, during a conversation at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

Highlighting the progress on border talks with China, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted that 75% of disengagement problems with Beijing have been resolved. However, the two nations 'still have some things to do,' he said, underlining India's historically complex relationship with China.

'We did not have an easy relationship in the past. What happened in 2020 was in violation of multiple agreements; the Chinese moved a large number of troops to the Line of Actual Control. We, in response, moved our troops up,' Jaishankar stated during his conversation with Ambassador Jean-David Levitte at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy on Thursday.

Jaishankar explained that if a solution to disengagement is found and peace restored, other possibilities could be explored. He described the India-China relationship as complex, citing historical conflicts and trade imbalances. 'It is a very complex relationship. Both countries have a population of more than a billion, and each one's rise has a ripple effect on the neighborhood,' he said. India and China recently held the 31st WMCC meeting in Beijing, agreeing to uphold peace along the border.

(With inputs from agencies.)