Border issues can be resolved bilaterally, says Sushma Swaraj
The comments come even as India and China bilaterally engaged with each other last year to improve the relationship that suffered in 2017 due to the Doklam crisis, when Chinese forces tried to enter Bhutanese territory.
In a message that will be noted by both, Islamabad and Bejing, India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said that "unresolved border issues can be resolved bilaterally" but in "atmosphere free from violence and hostility".
Speaking at the 4th Raisina dialogue, Sushma Swaraj said, "Our commitment to upholding territorial integrity and sovereignty remains unwavering. Our consistent message is that unresolved border issues can be resolved bilaterally, when approached in the right spirit and in an atmosphere free from violence and hostility."
The comments come even as India and China bilaterally engaged with each other last year to improve the relationship that suffered in 2017 due to the Doklam crisis, when Chinese forces tried to enter Bhutanese territory. The Doklam crisis led to a two-month-long standoff between the two countries.
But the India-Pakistan relationship is still without engagement due to Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism.
On terror, Sushma Swaraj said, "Today, no country, big or small, is immune from this existential threat, particularly, terrorism actively supported and sponsored by states. In this digital age, the challenge is even greater, with a greater vulnerability to radicalisation."
She added, "Ensuring zero-tolerance towards terrorism, and those who use it as an instrument of convenience is the need of the hour."