NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding the Army Chief playing down border tension with China and asserting India ‘well-prepared’ to tackle Pakistan sponsored terrorism, external ‘worries’ are coming in the way of India’s COVID fight.
After the Sino-Pak ‘duo,’ now it is Nepal which has lodged a protest with India against the construction of a road in Uttarakhand.
Nepal had summoned the Indian ambassador on Monday to protest the construction of the road connecting Lipulekh Pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand.
According to a Nepal Government statement, Mr V M Kwatra, Indian ambassador, met Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali at his office on May 11 and the Ministry had handed over a diplomatic note to Mr Kwatra.
Nepal has said the area on which the road was constructed lies within its territory.
On May 9, a day after the road was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the MEA had said the road was well within India territory.
“The road follows the pre-existing route used by Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims. Under the present project, the same has been made pliable for ease and convenience of pilgrims, locals and traders,” an MEA statement maintained.
Meanwhile, reports said India has protested as Pakistan inked a deal with China for a POK dam.
With Pakistan signing a contract with a Chinese firm for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam in Gilgit-Baltistan, India on Thursday reminded Islamabad and Beijing that the entire territory of J&K and Ladakh was an integral and inalienable part of India.
According to reports, Pakistan signed a 442 billion PKR contract with a joint venture of a Chinese state-run firm and a commercial arm of Pakistan’s military.
Incidentally, underlining the importance of established mechanisms with China for dealing with border issues, the Government on Thursday said “situations” at the LAC could have been avoided if the two sides had a common perception of the Line of Actual Control.
Responding to the recent flare-up, the MEA also said in a statement that India and China attached utmost importance to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in all areas of India-China border regions.
“Occasionally, on account of difference in perception of the alignment of the LAC, situations have arisen on the ground that could have been avoided if we had a common perception of the LAC,” the statement said.
Informatively, Army Chief General MM Naravane on Wednesday played down the recently heightened tensions between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh after a violent clash left several soldiers injured on both sides in the Panging Two sector last week.
“These face-offs, which have no connection with any domestic or international situation prevailing today, have been happening in the past also. We will deal with the current one as per protocol between the two countries,” General Naravane told journalists. (AGENCIES)
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