New Delhi: India and China held their first high level political meeting on Friday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Defence Ministers meets in Moscow. The two Defence Ministers discussed on the deadlock in the ongoing military confrontation in Eastern Ladakh.

There was no official word on the outcome of the meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe until late on Friday night. Singh is learned to have reiterated India’s demand for restoration of Status-quo ante. Earlier, taking a swipe at China without naming it, Singh said a peaceful, stable and secure region “Demands a climate of trust and cooperation, non-aggression respect for international rules and norms”.

Rajnath Singh said all member countries of the SCO, which is home to over 40% of the global population, should work towards this objective. If I may borrow an idea articulated by our Prime Minister in different context, out goal should be security and growth for all in the region, he said. The Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to the evolution of a global security architecture which will be open, transparent, inclusive, rules based and anchored in international laws.

The bilateral meeting with China, sought by General Wei in the aftermath of India’s proactive military moves in Pangong Tso area, happened at hotel Metropole where Rajnath Singh is staying. Rajnath Singh was accompanied by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Joint-Secretary (East Asia) in the foreign Ministry Naveen Srivatsava and Indian Ambassador to Russia D. Bala Venkatesh Varma and among others.