Status-quo not a positive development: Rajnath Singh on India-China issue

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that while talks with China have been ongoing for a while, no meaningful outcome has come out of it.

In an interview with news agency ANI, the Minister said, "There will be a next round of talks on military level which can take place anytime. But no meaningful outcome has come and there is status quo. I don't think status-quo is positive development."

"If a country is expansionist and tries to occupy our land, then India has the strength, capability and power to not let its land go into anyone's hand, whether it is any country of the world," he said.

India and China are engaged in a bitter stand-off on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May. The countries are currently engaged in a dialogue both at military and diplomatic levels to ease the tensions at the border.

On being asked if this year's incident at the border was a result of possible collusion between China-Pakistan, he said, "India has a sharp focus. ‘Jo hume chedega hum usse chhorenge nahi’. We want to maintain peaceful relations with all nations."

Hailing the Prime Minister, Singh said that while he does not want to question previous governments but "since PM Modi took office, national security has been a number one priority and we are providing maximum facilities to our defence forces."

Singh further added that China has been doing a lot of infrastructure development in its border areas but "India is also developing infrastructure at a fast pace for people at the border and for soldiers there. We are not developing infrastructure to attack any country but for our people."

More to follow...