‘Ladakh, Doklam clashes not linked’
India says will engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution.
New Delhi: Underlining that incidents like the scuffle between the Indian and Chinese troops near the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh on Tuesday were not in the “interest of either side”, India on Saturday said that it would continue to engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution to the Doklam standoff.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar emphasised that the Pangong lake incident should not be linked with what was happening in any other sector, in an apparent reference to the standoff at Doklam across Sikkim.
“Today, I can confirm that there was an incident at Pangong Tso on August 15. This was subsequently discussed by the local Army commanders of the two sides. Such incidents are not in the interest of either side. We should maintain peace and tranquillity,” he said.
Mr Kumar also did not confirm whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would travel to China next month to attend the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa summit, saying he did not have any information.
In the context of the Ladakh incident, he said that two border personnel meets were held between the Indian border guards and the Chinese troops, recently — one at Chushul in eastern Ladakh on August 16 and another at Nathu La, a week before.
Asked if China shared hydrological data with India this year in the backdrop of the floods in Assam as per the usual practice, the spokesperson said “for this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side”, adding that it was “premature” to link the standoff and the floods in Assam as there could be “technical reasons” behind China not sharing the data.
The defence ministry and the Army refused to confirm the authenticity of a video showing the August 15 scuffle between the Indian and Chinese troops on the banks of the Pangong lake. “The video is yet to be verified,” said an official source.