Making it clear that India is not paranoid over China, Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Wednesday said that Sino-Indian bilateral relations were improving and getting better, despite the border dispute.
“Nothing like that,” was Mr. Antony’s response to reporters’ queries if the government was paranoid over China and if there was any problem or bad feeling about Beijing.
The government has taken a conscious policy decision to maintain “very cordial and friendly” relations with all the neighbours, he said while interacting with the media after inaugurating a conference of Defence Accounts Controllers here.
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“In this context, we are trying to improve our relations with all our neighbouring countries and this includes China also. All are reciprocating well,” he said.
Noting that Sino-Indian border disputes still existed, the Defence Minister said the two governments had evolved mechanisms to talk about these disputes.
“Despite these disputes, our relations are improving (with China) in all aspects. China is today our largest trading partner. Our cultural relations are improving.
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“Regarding my ministry, disputes are there, but military relations are improving,” he said citing the example of two Sino-Indian army exercises held in the last three years and the visit of Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar to China earlier this year.
“Our relations with China is improving and it is comparatively better and the border is peaceful,” he said.