- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges India and China to address border disputes to improve bilateral relations.
- He emphasized the need for resolution on the ill-defined, 3,440km (2,100-mile)-long Himalayan border.
- He emphasized the importance of peaceful relations between the two countries for the entire region and the world.
Opposition parties have often leveled accusations against him for maintaining silence on reported Chinese incursions along the border. Throughout his almost 10 years in office, Mr. Modi has granted just a handful of interviews to the press and has not convened a single news conference in India. However, just days before voting commences in India's general election, the prime minister has granted interviews to three news outlets - Thanthi TV and the Assam Tribune in India, and the American magazine Newsweek.
In the latest interview, Mr. Modi refrained from directly commenting on the opposition parties' allegations that China had captured large parts of Indian Territory. Instead, he focused on discussing the importance of India's relations with China. He emphasized that peaceful relations between the two countries were crucial for the entire region and the world.
"I hope and believe that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, we will be able to restore and sustain peace and tranquillity at our borders.
"I believe that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us," he said.
He also addressed India's competition with China as a hub for manufacturing. In the recent past, global giants like Apple, Boeing, and Tesla have reportedly been looking to either establish manufacturing plants in India or increase sourcing from the country.
"India, as a democratic polity and global economic growth engine, is a natural choice for those looking to diversify their supply chains," Mr Modi said.
Mr. Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have previously denied any Chinese capture of Indian Territory. However, India's main opposition Congress party contends that each time the government "gives a clean chit" to its neighbor, it becomes more difficult for India to address China's "illegal encroachments." Tensions between the two countries escalated in 2020 when Indian and Chinese troops clashed at the border near the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh state, the eastern tip of India.
The Galwan Valley battle, which was fought with sticks and clubs rather than guns, marked the first fatal confrontation between the two sides since 1975. The clashes resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers.
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