Now that disengagement is complete, focus should be on de-escalation, says Jaishankar

Eastern Ladakh row: 'I see disengagement as disengagement; nothing more, nothing less'

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The disengagement part of the "problem" with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh has been put at rest and the focus should now be on de-escalation, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.

Jaishankar said it is "reasonable" to expect some improvement in the relations between India and China following the final round of disengagement but hesitated to say that there could be a reset of the ties.

"I see disengagement as disengagement; nothing more, nothing less. If you look at our current situation with China, we have an issue where our troops are uncomfortably close along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which required us to disengage," he said.

The understanding between India and China on October 21 was the last of the disengagement agreements, Jaishankar said.

"So that with its implementation, the disengagement part of the problem is at rest," he said.

Jaishankar's remarks came in response to a question on whether the disengagement of troops by the two sides last month was the beginning of a reset of the Sino-Indian ties.