Indian army chief confident talks can resolve China border dispute
- General Manoj Mukund Naravane says situation is ‘slightly tense’ but dialogue can help ease tensions
- Countries’ defence ministers set to meet in Russia for first face-to-face meeting since stand-off began
The Indian army chief has said that border tensions with China can be resolved through dialogue as the senior officials from both sides prepared to meet.
Speaking at the end of a two-day visit to the mountainous border region with China where tensions flared up again this week, General Manoj Mukund Naravane said he was “sure that the problem can be resolved fully through talks”.
Naravane described the situation on the border as “slightly tense” in an interview with Reuters affiliate ANI in the Indian city of Leh.
Thousands of soldiers and additional military hardware have been amassed on both sides of the disputed border and there have been no signs of troop reductions.
China and India’s defence ministers were expected to meet in Moscow on Friday for their first in-person meeting since the start of the current stand-off.
China’s Wei Fenghe and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh were in Russia for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation defence ministers.