MUMBAI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the disengagement of troops at Depsang and Demchok in Ladakh is the first step, and it is expected that India will return to the 2020 patrolling status.
The next step is de-escalation, which will not happen until India is sure that the same is happening on the other side as well, the EAM said, obviously referring to China.
Earlier this week, India announced it had reached an agreement with China on patrolling along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a major breakthrough in ending the over four-year-long military standoff.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Jaishankar said consensus has been achieved on patrolling and disengagement in Depsang and Demchok.
“It is obvious it will take time to implement the same. This is the issue of disengagement and patrolling which meant our armies had come very close to each other and now they have gone back to their bases. We hope the 2020 status is restored,” he said.
The completion of disengagement is the first step. The next step is de-escalation which will not happen until India is sure that the same is happening on the other side as well, the External Affairs Minister said.
“After de-escalation, how to manage the borders will be discussed,” he added. Speaking on India’s response to terrorism and what changed after 2014, the EAM said India is the leader in fighting terrorism.
“We should not have a repeat of what happened in Mumbai. That there was a terror attack and there was no response,” Jaishankar said.
Mumbai is a symbol of counter-terrorism for India and the world, he said.
“There are different views from political parties. When this city (Mumbai) was attacked, nothing was done,” he added.
He said when we talk of zero tolerance against terror, it is clear that when somebody does something, there will be a response.
“We also have to expose. It is not acceptable that you are doing business during daytime and indulging in terror during the night and I have to pretend that everything is okay,” he added.
When India was a member of the UN Security Council and chairing the counter-terrorism committee, the counter-terrorism panel’s meeting was held in the same hotel that was hit by the terror attack, he said.
Speaking on Manipur strife, Jaishankar said there are complex reasons for what is happening in the northeastern state, noting that some factors are historical and the rest concern the border situation.
“Claims like the rest of the world would have a problem with India because of Manipur are a political agenda and anti-national agenda. It is not right to damage India’s image in the name of Manipur,” the EAM said.