S Jaishankar meets Chinese counterpart on sidelines of SCO summit in Dushanbe

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that progress in the disengagement process in eastern Ladakh was essential for restoration of peace and tranquillity and that it is the basis for the development of overall ties. At a meeting on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Dushanbe, the two foreign ministers exchanged views on global developments. It is understood that the developments in Afghanistan were figured in the talks. “Met Chinese FM Wang Yi on the sidelines of SCO Summit in Dushanbe. Discussed disengagement in our border areas. Underlined that progress in this regard is essential for restoration of peace and tranquillity, which is the basis for development of bilateral ties,” Jaishankar tweeted. After the meeting, Jaishankar said India does not subscribe to any clash of civilisations theory. “Also exchanged views on global developments. Emphasized that India does not subscribe to any clash of civilisations theory. It is also essential that China does not view its relations with India through the lens of a third country,” he said. “As for Asian solidarity, it is for China and India to set an example,” the external affairs minister said. The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area last month, in a significant forward movement towards the restoration of peace and tranquillity in the region. In February, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.