India has subtly dismissed US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate in its border dispute with China, reinforcing its long-standing position that such issues must be "resolved bilaterally". Trump, during a media briefing after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggested that he was ready to extend support if it could help in resolving the long-standing tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.

Reacting to Trump's remarks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reiterated that India has maintained a bilateral approach in handling its disputes, including those with China. "Your question about the offer to mediate between India and China, I think, I suspect you know the answer to this question," Misri said when asked about Trump's statement.

"Whatever issues we have with any of our neighbours, we have always adopted a bilateral approach to dealing with these issues. It's no different between India and China. We have been discussing any issues that we have with them on a bilateral plane, and we will continue to do so," he added, making it clear that New Delhi sees no role for third-party intervention.

"I do see the skirmishes on the border, which are quite vicious, and I guess they continue to go on. If I could be of help, I would love to help as that should be stopped," Trump said. He also acknowledged China's global influence, describing it as a "very important player", and even suggested that Beijing could have a role in ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The ties between India and China have been tense since the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020. However, after extensive negotiations, both sides agreed on a disengagement process, which included troop withdrawals from Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh.

Two days after finalising the agreement, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Kazan on October 23, where they decided to revive existing dialogue mechanisms.

India has consistently maintained that normalising ties with China depends on ensuring peace along the border. Trump, meanwhile, stressed the importance of cooperation between global powers, stating, "I would hope that China and India and Russia and the US and all of us can get along. It's very important".

Source: India Today