China has not occupied Indian territory afresh or denied New Delhi access to any part of Indian territory, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on Friday.
China has not occupied Indian territory afresh or denied New Delhi access to any part of Indian territory, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on Friday.
“I would like to state categorically that Shyam Saran has not stated in (his) report that China has occupied or has denied access to India to any part of Indian territory,” Antony told the Lok Sabha.
A former foreign secretary, Saran, who heads the National Security Advisory Board, visited Ladakh last month and submitted a report to the Prime Minister’s Office and the defence ministry.
A section of the media quoted the report as saying that China had taken over a large chunk of Indian territory in the Ladakh region and was preventing the Indian Army from accessing it.
Reading out a prepared statement, Antony said “there is no question of India ceding to China any part of Indian territory.
“The government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India’s security and takes all measures to safeguard it.
“I would further like to assure the house that the government would continue to strengthen our capabilities in border areas to protect our national interest,” said Antony.
According to the minister, Saran’s report was primarily focused on border infrastructure and also dealt with several aspects relating to the region.
Both houses of parliament Friday saw noisy protests by opposition members demanding a statement from Antony over media reports claiming that Chinese troops have intruded into Indian territory.
-IANS
