Hyderabad: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave a "cold shoulder" to State Councillor and Minister of National Defence of China General Li Shangfu when he met the former in New Delhi on Thursday ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting, which is slated for Friday. Sending a strong message to China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh greeted his Chinese counterpart with a simple folding of hands while he shook hands with defence ministers of other countries.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shook hands with Tajikistan, Iran and Kazakhstan counterparts ahead of the bilateral meeting whereas he left his Chinese counterpart with simply namaste. It seems the Chinese Defence Minister was royally ignored by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh sending a strong message all is not well between the two countries. India has been strongly protesting Chinese intrusion into Arunachal Pradesh time and again.
Meanwhile, Rajnath Singh met State Councillor and Minister of National Defence of China General Li Shangfu and both had frank discussions about the developments in the India-China border areas as well as bilateral relations. The Defence Minister categorically conveyed that the development of relations between India and China is premised on the prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the borders.
He added that all issues at the Line of Actual Control need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments. He reiterated that violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation. The Chinese Defence Minister is in Delhi to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting on April 28.
Rajnath Singh said he had fruitful discussions with the Defence Minister of Tajikistan, Colonel General Sherali Mirzo; had a wonderful interaction with Iran’s Defence Minister, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiyani; wonderful interaction with the Defence Minister of Kazakhstan, Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov and held discussions with China’s Defence Minister General Li Shangfu in New Delhi.
