New Delhi/Beijing, September 5: China's attempts to unilaterally change status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh were in violation of the bilateral agreements, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghi. Rajnath Singh met China's Defence Minister Wei Fenghi in Moscow on Friday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting and discussed the border dispute. 'China Can't Lose An Inch Of Territory, India Responsible For Escalating Tension': Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghi To Rajnath Singh.

"The Defence Minister (Rajnath Singh) categorically conveyed India’s position on the developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) including in the Galwan valley in the Western Sector of the India-China Border Areas in the last few months," the Indian Defence Ministry said in a statement. "The Defence Minister emphasised that the actions of the Chinese troops, including amassing of large number of troops, their aggressive behaviour and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements," it added. China’s PLA Has Abducted 5 Civilians From Upper Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh, Claims Congress MLA Ninong Ering.

Singh told Fenghi that Indian troops take a very responsible approach towards border management, adding that there should be no doubt on "their determination to protect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity". Saying that both sides should not allow differences to become disputes, Singh asked Beijing to work with the Indian side for complete disengagement at the earliest from all friction areas including Pangong Lake as well as de-escalation in border areas.

Emphasising on dialogue to resolve the dispute, Singh "conveyed that the two sides should continue their discussions, including through diplomatic and military channels, to ensure complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC at the earliest". He added that neither side should take any further action that could either complicate the situation or escalate matters in the border areas.

Indian Defence Ministry's Statement on Rajnath Singh's Meeting With His Chinese Counterpart Wei Fenghi:

Earlier today, the Chinese Defence Ministry released a statement on Wei Fenghi's meeting with Rajnath Singh. According to the statement, Fenghi told Singh that China would not give up “an inch of its territory” and India is "entirely" responsible for the escalating border stand-off in Ladakh. India and China are engaged in a four-month-long standoff at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2020 12:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).