Dear Editor,
The third flag meeting between the armies of India and China has resolved the incursion issue for now, leading to the withdrawal of Chinese troops from India’s Chumar area in Ladakh. However, such incidents, when oft-repeated, are not conducive to a healthy relationship between the two countries. A key aspect of the agreement is that India will dismantle its observation posts in the area while China will stop the construction of roads inside Indian territory.
India needs to strengthen its friendship with the US. It may be recalled that on more than one occasion, as Defence Minister, George Fernandes had voiced his concerns on China. He was rebuffed at that time. Some had expected that the situation would improve with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India. But the incursion has belied those hopes. China must not let its soldiers cross into Indian territory if it wants to maintain peace and tranquility in Asia.
Rattan Jot
Kud