India-China relations 'not good', rules out role for third party in resolving dispute: Jaishankar admits

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Monday, ruled out any role for a third party in India's border dispute with China, saying the two neighbours have an issue and it is for them to find a way out. "We are not looking to other countries to sort out what is really an issue between India and China," Jaishankar said while responding to a series of questions at a press conference in Tokyo. Jaishankar, who is here to attend a Quad foreign ministerial meeting, also said that India's relationship with China is not good and it's not doing well. "We have a problem, or, I would say, an issue between India and China... I think it is for two of us to talk it over and to find a way," he said.

"Obviously, other countries in the world would have an interest in the matter, because we are two big countries and the state of our relationship has an impact on the rest of the world. But we are not looking to other countries to sort out what is really an issue between us," he said,



recalling his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi twice this month.

The top Indian minister underscored that the relations between India and China are neither "good" nor "normal". However, he added that New Delhi wants good neighbourly relations with Beijing. "We have views on China based on our experience. Our relations with China are not doing very well, the main reason for that is in 2020, during the COVID, China brought very large forces to the border areas between India and China in violation of agreements that we had with China and that created tensions which led to a clash, people died on both sides. The consequences of that continue as the issue has not been fully resolved," he said.

"The relationship right now with China is not good, not normal. As a neighbour, we hope for a better relationship, but that can only happen if they respect the LOC and respect agreements which they have signed in the past...," added Jaishankar.