NEW DELHI: Hours before the first in-person Quad summit, India and China were involved in another round of verbal slugfest with both sides blaming each other for the Galwan clash last year and China asserting that a “clique” like Quad was doomed to fail.
After Beijing claimed yet again that the Galwan valley incident took place because India violated all agreements and encroached upon China’s territory, India hit back saying it was China’s provocative behaviour, including unilateral attempts to change the LAC status quo, that disturbed border peace and tranquility and “impacted” bilateral relations.
The Galwan clash in Ladakh last year left 20 Indian soldiers dead. China too suffered several casualties.
“We reject such statements. Our position with regard to developments last year along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh has been clear and consistent. It was the provocative behavior and unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter status quo in contravention of all our bilateral agreements that resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquility,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a statement.
