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NEW DELHI: Days after PM Narendra Modi's China visit, national security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has raised objections to the manner in which China deals with the border dispute with India and hinted at its hypocrisy in the matter.
Speaking at a BSF function, Doval said China's claims on Tawang (in Arunachal Pradesh) were in contravention of accepted principles of border settlement. Calling it hypocrisy, Doval said China was ready to accept the McMohan Line on its border settlement with Myanmar but not with India.
He, however, stressed that any diplomatic relation with China was incumbent upon resolving the border issue. The statements are significant given that India has been trying to articulate a stance where it is willing to resolve the border dispute but also ready to push its own terms for the same.
"China's stand on the border dispute has been in complete contravention of accepted principles. They have accepted the McMohan Line while settling the border with Myanmar and then they say that the same line is not acceptable in case of India, particularly in Tawang. The settled population in these areas has been part of the national mainstream (of India) all through," Doval said while delivering the Rustamji Memorial Lecture on the 50th anniversary of BSF's foundation.
Doval, however, cautioned that India could not ignore the dispute. "We have to settle this dispute. China is an important country for us. It is one of the world's largest economies. It has got a long border with us. It has a special relationship with Pakistan. Both these countries are nuclear and not the kind of democracies that we are," Doval said.
He also said that while bilateral relations were improving, forces needed to remain vigilant. "With China we have got a very long border which is 2,488 km long. A very difficult terrain. In the bilateral relation with China, border is a critical and vital issue. All advancements in bilateral relations that we make vis-a-vis China centre around the border dispute. Maintenance of peace on the border is important for this," Doval said.
"For the last 30 years, not a single bullet has been fired. But the number of intrusions have gone up and down over the past one year. Bilateral relations have improved of late but we need to remain vigilant. We are particularly worried about the eastern sector," he added.
Ajit Doval slams Beijing’s McMahon hypocrisy - The Times of India
Speaking at a BSF function, Doval said China's claims on Tawang (in Arunachal Pradesh) were in contravention of accepted principles of border settlement. Calling it hypocrisy, Doval said China was ready to accept the McMohan Line on its border settlement with Myanmar but not with India.
He, however, stressed that any diplomatic relation with China was incumbent upon resolving the border issue. The statements are significant given that India has been trying to articulate a stance where it is willing to resolve the border dispute but also ready to push its own terms for the same.
"China's stand on the border dispute has been in complete contravention of accepted principles. They have accepted the McMohan Line while settling the border with Myanmar and then they say that the same line is not acceptable in case of India, particularly in Tawang. The settled population in these areas has been part of the national mainstream (of India) all through," Doval said while delivering the Rustamji Memorial Lecture on the 50th anniversary of BSF's foundation.
Doval, however, cautioned that India could not ignore the dispute. "We have to settle this dispute. China is an important country for us. It is one of the world's largest economies. It has got a long border with us. It has a special relationship with Pakistan. Both these countries are nuclear and not the kind of democracies that we are," Doval said.
He also said that while bilateral relations were improving, forces needed to remain vigilant. "With China we have got a very long border which is 2,488 km long. A very difficult terrain. In the bilateral relation with China, border is a critical and vital issue. All advancements in bilateral relations that we make vis-a-vis China centre around the border dispute. Maintenance of peace on the border is important for this," Doval said.
"For the last 30 years, not a single bullet has been fired. But the number of intrusions have gone up and down over the past one year. Bilateral relations have improved of late but we need to remain vigilant. We are particularly worried about the eastern sector," he added.
Ajit Doval slams Beijing’s McMahon hypocrisy - The Times of India