External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that India-China relationship today is at the crossroads, adding that choices made by the two countries will have profound repercussions for the entire world.

Addressing the 13th All India Conference of China Studies, Jaishankar said, “That is why the events in Eastern Ladakh last year have so profoundly disturbed the relationship because they not only signalled a disregard for commitments about minimising troop levels but also showed a willingness to breach peace and tranquility.”

He said that India is yet to receive a credible explanation for the change in China's stance and massing of troops in border areas.

"Whether handling of the border areas is concerned, the Line of Actual Control must be strictly observed and respected. Any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo is completely unacceptable," he said.

He said peace and tranquillity in border areas is the basis for the development of ties with China in other domains and if it is disturbed, "so inevitably is the rest of the relationship".

Jaishankar’s remarks come days after Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a clash in the high-altitude Naku La region in North Sikkim on January 20, an incident described by the Indian Army as a "minor face-off".

(With inputs from PTI)

(Edited by : Aditi Gautam)

First Published:Jan 28, 2021 1:18 PM IST