On the eastern Ladakh standoff with China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated that India wants to resolve the border issue through dialogue and in a peaceful manner while asserting that the government will never compromise on the country’s border and its self-respect.
“We will never let the sanctity of our borders be violated,” the Defence Minister said at a national security conclave in Jammu, adding that the talks are continuing at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the dispute.
On the drone deal with the US, Singh said the defence ministry will compare the acquisition cost of the drones with the best price General Atomics offered to other countries, adding the acquisition will be made only by following the established procurement procedure.
He asserted that India will procure MQ-9B drones from the US by following the established procedure and will compare the “best price” offered by manufacturer General Atomics to other nations before concluding the purchase. India and the US firmed up the drone deal during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-profile visit to Washington.
Singh rejected speculative reports on the price and other terms of purchase relating to the procurement of 31 MQ-9B drones from the US. His comments came a day after the Defence Ministry said it is yet to finalise the cost and specific terms of purchase of the MQ-9B long endurance drones from the US.
Strongly trashing reports in a section of social media on the price as well as the acquisition process, the ministry said it will examine the “best price” offered by the manufacturer to other nations before concluding the procurement.
The Defence Minister described the overall border situation with China as a matter of perceptional difference but noted that there are agreements and protocols based on which the armies of the two countries carry out the patrolling.
Referring to the standoff in eastern Ladakh, he said the Chinese Army ignored the agreed protocols and unilaterally tried to change the status quo on the Line of Actual Control.
He lauded the valour and dedication of the Indian Army which prevented the attempts by China’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army) to change the status quo, according to a statement by the defence ministry.
On Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Defence Minister said Pakistan does not have a locus standi there as it has illegally occupied the area. “The Indian Parliament has unanimously passed at least three resolutions which state that PoK is a part of India,” he said.
