Agencies

New Delhi, February 11:

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh will make a statement in the Rajya Sabha today about the situation in Eastern Ladakh, where India is engaged in a standoff with China. This was announced by the defence minister’s office on Wednesday.

“Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh will make a statement in Rajya Sabha tomorrow regarding ‘Present Situation in Eastern Ladakh,” Singh’s office tweeted.

The announcement came after a demand was made by Congress and other Opposition parties.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury highlighted the recent statement made by Union minister VK Singh on the LAC standoff. He had said that Singh’s statement will give China a chance to tarnish India’s image at global level.

“Union minister VK Singh has made a statement which has been widely published in the newspapers about LAC transgressions. And China has picked that up; it will give our neighbour a chance to tarnish our image,” Chowdhury said.

“I request the defence minister to throw some light on the latest situation on the LAC and on the minister’s statement,” he added.

This comes after the Chinese and Indian border troops on the southern and northern shores of Pangong Lake began disengagement on Wednesday as per the consensus reached during the ninth round of military commander-level talks, according to China’s Ministry of National Defence.

The Chinese and Indian border troops on the southern and northern shores of Pangong Lake began disengagement as planned on Wednesday according to the consensus reached during the ninth round of military commander-level talks, reported Global Times, citing the defence ministry.

India and China had agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops in eastern Ladakh during the China-India Corps Commander Level meeting held on the Chinese side of the Moldo-Chushul border meeting point on January 24 to address the ongoing military standoff.

The two countries have been engaged in a standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since April-May last year. While China began amassing massive military strength along the LAC, India responded with a befitting build-up.

The Chinese have been asking India to withdraw troops and tanks first from the southern bank but India has been asking for disengagement from all the friction points.