S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister on Tuesday stated that bilateral relations between India and China were on the course of some improvement after the Successful disengagement agreement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on India-China ties and the border truce reached in October, S Jaishankar said that India-China ties have been abnormal since 2020 when peace and tranquillity in the border areas were disturbed as a result of Chinese actions. He added that the recent developments that reflect our continuous diplomatic engagement since then have set our ties in the direction of some improvement.

The External Affairs Minister also reiterated that India remains committed to engaging with China to arrive at a fair, mutually acceptable framework for boundary settlement. His remarks come nearly two months after India and China announced the major border breakthrough to resume patrolling along the LAC, effectively ending the longstanding standoff that erupted after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.

Jaishankar in his address also said that in the months following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, they were focusing on a situation that had not only seen fatalities for the first time in 45 years but also a turn of events serious enough for heavy weaponry to be deployed in close proximity to the LAC.

He mentioned that while a determined counter-deployment of adequate capability was the government’s immediate response, there was also the imperative of a diplomatic effort to defuse these heightened tensions and restore peace and tranquillity.

The External Affair Minister went on to list a series of agreements reached in the past between India and China, including those signed in 1991, 1993, 1996, 2003, 2005, 2012 and the last one in 2013 to reach an understanding on border defence cooperation.

He added that the purpose of his recalling these agreements is to emphasize the elaborate nature of our shared efforts to ensure peace and tranquillity and to highlight the seriousness of what its unprecedented disruption in 2020 implied for our overall relationship.

Notably, the current agreement pertains to patrolling in the Depsang and Demchok areas. Previously, the militaries of the two countries had pulled back from four of six friction points in eastern Ladakh, including the Galwan Valley, after the clash.

The Indian and Chinese armies in November completed one round of patrolling in Demchok and Depsang and also agreed to carry out one coordinated patrol every week in the areas where tensions have persisted.

In order to maintain ongoing stability, talks will continue at the local commanders level, involving brigadiers and officers of similar ranks. Earlier on October 31, Indian and Chinese troops engaged in the Customary exchange of sweets on the occasion of Diwali.

In the wake of Cyclone Fengal and severe flooding caused by heavy rains in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister ML Stalin offering assurance and full support to the state amid the crisis.

In a telephonic conversation, Narendra Modi enquired about the extent of the damage in Tamil Nadu, especially in Villupuram, where unprecedented flooding has caused massive disruption. MK Stalin informed him that the state government was handling the disaster effectively, providing relief to those affected. 

The Chief Minister also reiterated his request for financial assistance and urged the central government to send a team for a detailed damage assessment.

Earlier in a post on X, Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote that he urged Prime Minister Modi to provide relief to the people of Tamil Nadu due to this storm and to send a Union committee to carry out a detailed assessment of the storm damage.

MK Stalin on Monday had sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister, seeking Rs 2,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to support restoration and rehabilitation efforts. Furthermore, he also highlighted the overwhelming scale of the disaster, which had surpassed the state’s resources. 

The Chief Minister requested the central government’s intervention to address the immediate and long-term impacts on infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods. He said that the state requires Rs 2,475 crore for temporary restoration efforts. 

Reportedly, the cyclone’s impact was particularly severe in Villupuram, where roads, bridges, and residential areas were submerged under floodwaters, cutting off villages and damaging crops. In Tiruvannamalai, five people lost their lives when a boulder fell on their house due to a mudslide triggered by the heavy rains on December 1.

During the call, PM Modi reassured CM Stalin that the government would take immediate action to address the crisis and assist the state in its recovery efforts.

In the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the violence in Sambhal that occurred during a court-mandated survey of a mosque was a well-planned conspiracy hatched by the BJP. 

The Kannauj MP asserted that the police and the administration were responsible for the violence, which left five dead, and demanded a murder case be filed against the officers. The Samajwadi Party Chief also pointed out that bypolls were supposed to be held on November 13, but it was postponed to November 20.

A massive violence broke out in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal last week during a protest against a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid. Reports said that the order was passed following claims that the mosque was constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple.

Furthermore, Akhilesh Yadav also pointed out the alacrity with which the order for the survey of the mosque was passed even before listening to the other side. He said that on November 19, a survey was conducted, and the report was to be given to the court. He continued that later on November 24, another survey was conducted, during which people gathered to know the reason for the survey. He added that the Circle Officer abused the people gathered there and resorted to lathicharge. Following, police opened fire, during which dozens were injured and five were killed, he alleged.

Reportedly, five people died on November 24 after a mob pelted stones at a team of officials that was conducting a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in UP’s Sambhal. Notably, the survey was ordered by the court in response to a petition that claimed the mosque was built on the ruins of an ancient temple.

Earlier on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Congress called off its planned march to violence-hit Sambhal following a standoff with police outside the party office in Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai said that the march was postponed after authorities cited restrictions on entry of outsiders in Sambhal until December 10.