Foreign minister S. Jaishankar has called the situation in Ladakh the “most serious” since the 1962 conflict.

“This is surely the most serious situation after 1962. In fact, after 45 years, we have had military casualties on this border. The quantum of forces currently deployed by both sides at the LAC is also unprecedented,” Jaishankar told Rediff.com in an interview ahead of the release of his book.

A solution to the border row with China must be predicated on honouring all agreements and understandings without attempting to alter the status quo unilaterally, the minister said in a clear assertion of India’s position on the issue.

“As you know, we are talking to the Chinese both through military channels and diplomatic ones. In fact, they work in tandem,” Jaishankar said.