New Delhi: On Tuesday, India registered a forceful objection with China following its inclusion of Arunachal Pradesh in its updated 'standard map' for the year 2023.
According to an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs' spokesperson, India views these actions by China as exacerbating the complexity surrounding the resolution of the ongoing boundary dispute. The statement reads, "Through diplomatic channels, we have strongly protested the 2023 'standard map' of China, which baselessly asserts territorial claims over Indian land. We outrightly reject these assertions as they lack any valid foundation. Such maneuvers by the Chinese side only serve to complicate the already intricate boundary issue."
China, on the preceding Monday, formally unveiled its 2023 'standard map,' incorporating regions under dispute, including its assertions over Arunachal Pradesh, the Aksai Chin territory, Taiwan, and the contentious South China Sea. This map was made available on the website of the Ministry of Natural Resources, where the standard mapping service is hosted.
The map's compilation is based on China's interpretation of its national borders and those of various other nations across the world.
Notably, India has consistently maintained that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the nation and will remain so.
This development follows closely after Prime Minister Narendra Modi communicated India's concerns to Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding unresolved matters along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. It was emphasized that preserving peace and tranquility in these border regions is pivotal for the normalization of India-China relations.
The two leaders engaged in a brief discussion during the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. They mutually agreed to direct their respective officials to heighten efforts towards "swift disengagement and de-escalation."
This interaction marked their first public meeting since their brief encounter at the G20 Summit in Bali the prior year.
Relations between India and China have been significantly strained due to the border dispute in eastern Ladakh, which commenced in May 2020. Even as diplomatic and military talks resulted in disengagement from multiple areas, the standoff persists at various friction points in the region.
India consistently underscores the importance of peace and stability along the LAC for the overall normalization of bilateral relations.
On August 13 and 14, India and China engaged in the 19th round of Corps Commander-level discussions, focusing on resolving pending matters in the Depsang and Demchok standoff areas in eastern Ladakh.
A joint statement characterized these talks as "constructive, positive, and comprehensive," with both sides agreeing to expedite the resolution of remaining issues.
Subsequent to this round of high-level talks, local military commanders from both countries engaged in a series of negotiations in separate locations to address concerns in the Depsang Plains and Demchok regions.