Centre fully engaged in resolving Ladakh standoff: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, June 14 (HS): Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that the central government was closely monitoring the standoff in Ladakh region at Indo-China border and was fully engaged in talks with the Chinese side at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve the issue.

“Talks are underway with China at diplomatic and military levels. China too has expressed wish to resolve this issue via dialogue,” the Minister said. He was addressing ‘Jammu Jan Samvad rally’ via video-conferencing.

He further said, “I’d like to inform the opposition that our government won’t keep anyone in the dark and also won’t compromise with national pride in any situation.”

His comments came on the heels of Army chief General MM Naravane’s recent statement saying, “Disengagement of Indian and Chinese forces is taking place in a “phased manner” along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) at India-China border.”

The disengagement began after a dialogue that that the two senior army officials, Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, commander of Leh-based 14 Corps, and Major General Liu Lin, commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in South Xinjiang region, had on June 6.

On Friday also, an Army delegations from India and China, led by major general-rank officers, had discussions to resolve the standoff in Ladakh region.

General Naravane had also stated, “I would like to assure everyone that the situation along our border with China is under control,” adding, “Both sides are disengaging in a phased manner. We have started from the area of the Galwan river in North, where a lot of disengagement has taken place.”