Rajnath backs bilateral talks with China as Pentagon dials to help

NEW DELHI: The US formally reached out to India on Friday to provide any assistance with the ongoing faceoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Chinese troops but New Delhi while conveying its appreciation, made it clear that existing bilateral mechanisms with China have worked in the past and will help resolve the issue this time as well.
The offer for help with the border situation came during a telephonic conversation between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US counterpart Mark T Esper on Friday. Those familiar with the details told ET that Singh while placing faith on existing bilateral mechanisms with China, also underscored the importance of being "resolute" and "patient". The US side, sources said, further expressed concern on the build up of troops in Ladakh. However, Singh conveyed that India is determined to protect its territorial integrity and would hold on to its position on the border.

The US offer for assistance came on a day when President Donald Trump said that he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter – a claim that was categorically denied by the Indian government.Sources said that the Indian side held its position that the border conflict would be resolved using several bilateral arrangements that have been put in place with China. These range from border personnel talks to a dialogue mechanism between Special Representatives of the two nations.

The situation on the Ladakh border remains tense since early May when Chinese troops intruded at four positions at the Galwan river valley and along the Pangong Tso lake and built up additional troops on the Line of Actual Control.

This build up, which includes artillery and armoured units brought ahead, has been matched by the Indian side that moved in troops from other areas to boost defences. While the ground situation remains the same, efforts are on at the diplomatic level to resolve the issue and restore status quo with the withdrawal of Chinese troops.

Earlier in the day, India was caught by surprise when Trump claimed he spoke with PM Modi who told him that “he is not in a good mood” over the impasse. "There has been no recent contact between PM Modi and President Trump. The last conversation between them was on April 4 on the subject of hydroxychloroquine,” a senior government source told ET. “On Thursday, MEA had also made it clear that we are directly in touch with the Chinese through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts."

Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday, Trump had said a "big conflict" was going on between India and China.

"I like your prime minister a lot. He is a great gentleman," the US president said. "Have a big conflict India and China. Two countries with 1.4 billion people (each). Two countries with very powerful militaries. India is not happy and probably China is not happy," he said when asked if he was worried about the border situation between India and China.

"I can tell you; I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. He is not in a good mood about what is going on with China," Trump had said in a statement that took many by surprise.Earlier on Wednesday Trump had taken everyone by surprise when he tweeted, “We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute. Thank you!” This was the first time that a US president has offered to mediate between India and China, even as Washington has shown willingness many a time to be a peacemaker between Delhi and Islamabad. India on Thursday asserted that it is engaging bilaterally with Beijing based on five established mechanisms to address border issues between the two sides thereby making it clear that it is not open to Trump’s offer to mediate on the Sino-Indo border row.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Friday rejected Trump's offer for mediation in the border dispute. Reacting for the first time to the US president's offer, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the two countries did not want the "intervention" from a third party to resolve the current military stand off.