Ahead Of Parliament Monsoon Session, Rajnath Singh Briefs Sharad Pawar, AK Antony On China Border Row

NCP leader Nawab Malik said the government briefed the two leaders about the situation at the border.

Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Congress leader A.K. Antony and briefed them about the situation along the border with China.

NCP leader Nawab Malik said the government briefed the two leaders about the situation at the border.

Malik added that important discussion was held regarding their experience as ex-defence ministers to deal with such situations.

READ: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar Meets PM Modi In New Delhi, Discussion Lasted For An Hour

The NCP leader further said Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane was also present at the meeting, ANI reported.

Pawar served as the Defence Minister from June 1991 to March 1993, while Antony held the post from October 2006 to May 2014.

The meeting assumes significance as it took place ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on July 19.

The Congress has been taking potshots at the government over the border row with China and the interactions are being seen as an attempt by the government to reach out to the opposition members ahead of the Monsoon Session.

Earlier on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

During the bilateral meeting, the leaders focused on the outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Ladakh region.

After the meeting, Jaishankar took to Twitter and said that he highlighted the unilateral change of status quo along with Ladakh LAC is not acceptable.

“Highlighted that unilateral change of status quo is not acceptable. Full restoration and maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is essential for development of our ties. Agreed on convening an early meeting of the Senior Military Commanders," he tweeted.