There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, people familiar with the developments said.
The final time the two leaders spoke was on April 4, when the topic of the conversation was hydroxychloroquine, an official said, hours after US President Donald Trump appeared to suggest that he had spoken with PM Modi in recent days.
They reiterated that India is directly in contact with China to handle the border stand-off.
Both China and India take part in a stand-off from the Ladakh region over the Collection of Actual Control (LAC). China was first to adopt an aggressive posturing by sending 6,000 soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to the region. The troops have already been relocated to four locations in eastern Ladakh – three within the Galwan Valley and another near Pangong Lake. Sources said that China would like to stop the infrastructure works being done by India within the remote region.
In the middle of the tension is a bridge being built by India near Daulat Beg Oldie, the past military outpost south in the Karakram Pass. Once built, it will cut short the delivery period of supplies and weapons thereby helping Indian Army soldiers.
India too has moved its soldiers in the region, matching China regarding troops, resources and capacity. Many security experts and top government sources said that India must not down again in the stand it provides taken, and should not bring back its troops.
The choice to mobilise the troops was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. National Security Advisor (NSA)? Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and foreign minister S? Jaishankar was part of that meeting.
This is actually the same team that drafted India’s response through the 73-day Doklam stand-off in 2017.
