In a meeting with the outgoing Chinese envoy, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on October 26 emphasised mutual “respect, sensitivity and interest”.
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“Emphasised that the development of India-China relations is guided by the 3 Mutuals. Peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential. The normalisation of India-China relations is in the interest of both countries, of Asia and the world at large,” said Mr. Jaishankar in a farewell meeting with Ambassador Sun Weidong.
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The meeting appears to reiterate the statement that Mr. Jaishankar made ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO’s) Samarkand summit that took place last month. India had recognised the mutual disengagement from Patrolling Point (PP) 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of Eastern Ladakh as a positive step. But meeting the media on September 14, Mr. Jaishankar had described the development as “one problem less”.
Mr. Jaishankar’s comment in that context was interpreted as a hint towards the remaining friction points between India and China at Demchok and Depsang that are yet to be resolved. Ambassador Sun Weidong’s three-year tenure which began in 2019 coincided with the Galwan crisis of June 2020 and the subsequent prolonged military tension.
The tension was reduced earlier after Indian and Chinese military disengaged from PP17A, Galwan and both banks of Pangong Tso but from the Indian point of view the resolution is yet to be attained at Demchok and Depsang.