India-China border stand-off resolved: minister

Published September 26, 2014
— File photo by AFP
— File photo by AFP

NEW DELHI: A military stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops that lasted nearly two weeks and overshadowed a key summit in New Delhi has ended, India's foreign minister said.

Troops will start pulling back from the disputed border area on Friday, Sushma Swaraj said, after meeting her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New York.

“I am very pleased to tell you that both the countries have sat down and resolved this issue,” she said, in comments broadcast on Indian television.

“Timelines have been drawn... by September 30, it (withdrawal) will be completed. Whichever positions were occupied by the armies on September 1, they will go back to those positions."

Hundreds of Chinese troops had moved into a territory claimed by India ahead of a visit by China's President Xi Jinping last week, sparking the stand-off on the remote mountainous frontier of Ladakh.

The two countries have long been embroiled in a bitter territorial dispute and small incursions occur frequently across the Line of Actual Control, the de-facto border that runs 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) across Ladakh. But the number of troops involved and the timing of last week's incident raised alarm bells, and led India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with the visiting Chinese president.

Indian defence sources said construction by both sides had triggered the stand-off in the Chumar area of the far-flung region.

Military officers from India and China on Thursday held talks near the border, triggering hopes of a resolution.

Opinion

Editorial

After the deluge
Updated 16 Jun, 2024

After the deluge

There was a lack of mental fortitude in the loss against India while against US, the team lost all control and displayed a lack of cohesion and synergy.
Fugue state
16 Jun, 2024

Fugue state

WITH its founder in jail these days, it seems nearly impossible to figure out what the PTI actually wants. On one...
Sindh budget
16 Jun, 2024

Sindh budget

SINDH’S Rs3.06tr budget for the upcoming financial year is a combination of populist interventions, attempts to...
Slow start
Updated 15 Jun, 2024

Slow start

Despite high attendance, the NA managed to pass only a single money bill during this period.
Sindh lawlessness
Updated 15 Jun, 2024

Sindh lawlessness

A recently released report describes the law and order situation in Karachi as “worryingly poor”.
Punjab budget
15 Jun, 2024

Punjab budget

PUNJAB’S budget for 2024-25 provides much fodder to those who believe that the increased provincial share from the...