Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that Indian forces have successfully foiled transgression attempts by China in Ladakh. Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Day 2 of Monsoon Session, Rajnath Singh said Indian armed forces have carried out counter deployment of troops responding to Chinese moves. Singh said that India, through diplomatic channels, has told China that the attempts to ‘unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements’.   “I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation,” the defence minister said.

Referring to his meeting with Chinese counterpart in Moscow last week, he said India told China that it is committed to resolve issues in a peaceful manner while maintaining the territorial integrity.

“China doesn’t recognise the traditional and customary alignment of the boundary. We consider that this alignment is based on well established geographical principals,” Rajnath Singh, adding,” India and China border issue remains unresolved. Till now, there has been no mutually acceptable solution. China disagrees on border.”

Both India and China agree that to maintain peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas, it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations, Rajnath Singh said.

The statement comes amid sharp Opposition criticism of the government over repeated transgressions by China’s People’s Liberation Army at Pangong Lake and several other areas in Ladakh since April. The matter flared up in June when 20 Indian soldiers died in violent clashes between the armies of the two Asian giants.

The Opposition has targeted the government over the stand-off with China at the Line of Actual Control — the de facto border between the two countries. The Congress attack, led by Rahul Gandhi, has focused on the Chinese aggression at the LAC while taking potshots at the government over allegedly not revealing the facts.

During the monsoon session, which began on Monday, the opposition is seeking to corner the government on its handling of the standoff with China. The Congress and other opposition parties raised the demand in the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha chaired by Speaker Om Birla on Sunday, but no time has been allocated yet for these discussions.