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No business as usual with China until complete disengagement: Indian envoy to Russia Venkatesh Verma

No business as usual with China until complete disengagement: Indian envoy to Russia Venkatesh Verma

1,300 Chinese soldiers were killed at Rezang La

India's ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Verma has said it won't be "business as usual" with China till "complete disengagement" has taken place at the Line of Actual Control(LAC).

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Speaking to Izvestia, also considered the country's national newspaper envoy, Verma said,"we have made it clear that we will not do business with China as usual until there is a complete disengagement of military forces along the Line of Actual Control and de-escalation in the border areas in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols. As Prime Minister Modi noted, this is an era of development, and the era of expansion has come to an end."

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His comments are significant, given Moscow has been briefed by India on the situation at the LAC after the violent flare up on June 15. The actions by Chinese that killed 20 Indian soldiers have been termed "premeditated" by India.

Welcoming Russia for demonstrating "understanding of India's position on the border issue" and the envoy said, "we are completely satisfied with the progress of our military-technical cooperation with Russia and the rapid delivery of weapons, so we look forward to the visit of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to India towards the end of this year."

India's defence minister Rajnath Singh had visited Moscow in end June to take part in victory day parade. India recently approved a proposal for procurement of 21 MIG-29 along with up-gradation of existing 59 Mig-29 aircraft from Russia at an estimated cost of Rs 7418 crore.

On Indo Pacific, the envoy said, "India and Russia share common interest so that the Indo-Pacific region becomes a region of peace, stability and economic prosperity, so that no country seeks unilateral advantage at the cost of the entire region."

Russia is reluctant on the concept, given it is Washington-backed.

On India's ties with US versus India's ties with Russia, envoy explained that while "India has a strategic partnership with the United States and cooperation on global issues" New Delhi "pursues an independent foreign policy" and "never joined any alliance and will not do so in future."

On defense procurement, he said, India takes "independent decisions" and see "no contradiction between further development of India's defense relations with Russia and those with the United States", adding, "Our military cooperation with the Russian Federation will continue, taking into account the interests of India in the field of national security"