Relationship with China ‘not normal’: S Jaishankar after meeting with Wang Yi

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday said that peace and tranquillity at the border areas with China have been the foundation of stable and cooperative ties between the two countries. India's EAM said,"No, our relationship (with China at present) is not normal, given the presence of a large number of troops in contravention of the 1993-96 agreements on meeting with Chinese Foreign Min Wang Yi. “So long there are very large deployments, border situation is not normal. We still have ongoing friction areas, have made progress in resolving some friction areas including Pangong Tso. Our discussion today was how to take this forward. There have been 15 rounds of talks,” Indian EAM further added.

S Jaishankar said that the current situation is a 'Work in Progress', obviously, at a slower pace than desirable...This needs to be taken forwards since completion of the disengagement (at LAC) is necessary for disengagement. The restoration of normal ties will require restoration of normalcy in border areas: Jaishankar after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister.

When asked about China's recent comments in the OIC Conference, Jaishankar said,"Yes it did. I referred to it. I explained to him why we found that statement objectionable. It was a subject discussed at some length. There was a larger context as well." “I conveyed that we hope that China would follow an independent policy in respect of India and not allow its policies to be influenced by other countries and other relationships,”S Jaishankarfurther said.

S Jaishankar made these remarks after holding talks with Chinese Foriegn Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi that lasted for about three hours. Jaishankar said that he and his Chinese counterpart addressed a broad and substantive agenda in an open and candid manner.

This is the first interaction at the topmost level ever since the clashes between the two sides at the Galwan Valley in the summer of 2020.

Both countries have held several rounds of border talks to resolve the standoff. India has called for complete disengagement in eastern Ladakh at all friction points.