Jaishankar welcomes merger of military and diplomatic leadership

Pune: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday lauded India’s effective combination of military resolve and diplomatic engagement in addressing the recent breakthrough in patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Interacting with students in Pune, Jaishankar elaborated on India’s efforts to achieve disengagement with China in eastern Ladakh, highlighting the gradual path towards normalization of bilateral relations.

“It is too early to fully restore trust,” Jaishankar said, noting that “when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Russia, it was decided that the foreign ministers of both countries and national security advisers would work out strategy on how to do it.” forward.”

Earlier this week, India announced that it had reached an agreement with China on patrolling along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, marking a breakthrough in ending more than four years of military standoff.

Underscoring India’s strong position, the Foreign Secretary said, “If we have achieved what we have achieved today, it is because of our determined efforts to stand our ground. The military endured unimaginable conditions at the LAC to defend the country and diplomacy played its role.”

Jaishankar clarified that disengagement of troops is a top priority given the proximity of troops and the risks involved. Beyond this, next steps include de-escalation and broader discussions on border management and negotiations on a border settlement.

“We are currently focused on disengagement. On October 21, an agreement was reached in Depsang and Demchok to resume patrols as they were before the standoff,” he said.

Jaishankar also highlighted India’s decades-long improvements in border infrastructure, pointing to “five times more resources annually than ten years ago” to enable efficient military deployment. “The combination of these factors has brought us to where we are now,” he added.

During the event, Jaishankar also raised questions about the India-Canada relationship, condemning the Canadian government’s recent actions against Indian diplomats. “We completely reject the way our high commissioner and diplomats were treated. Certain political forces in Canada are empowering a small extremist minority, which is harmful not only for India but also for Canada itself,” he said.

Jaishankar noted that India had expressed concerns about organized crime in Canada long before the current tensions, citing the negative impact of Canada’s “permissive atmosphere.”

“This is a political issue related to specific forces within Canada, and we hope that more responsible voices will prevail. Our countries have strong economic ties and a common population of students and people of Indian origin,” he noted, expressing frustration over the diplomatic tension. “We tried to reason with the Canadian system, warning it against the extremist path. Our national interests, integrity and sovereignty are paramount and we will respond accordingly,” he said.