Article Posted on : - Oct 22, 2009

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates the 'Exhibition on Climate Change: Technology Development & Transfer' by cutting the ribbon along with Jamshyd N Godrej (L), Past President CII, Chairman CII National Council on Climate Change, and Chairman & Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company, and MoS Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Image Credit: PTI

NEW DELHI (PTI): Downplaying the recent war of words with China, India has expressed confidence that the boundary dispute with it will be resolved amicably through dialogue.

These recriminations over the border are "not sudden", Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told PTI while pointing out that such issues have been cropping up earlier also as China has not accepted the McMahon Line since 1914.

Mukherjee, who held the External Affairs Ministry portfolio in the previous UPA government, disagreed when it was suggested that China had been "strident" recently while India's response was being perceived as soft.

"Whenever they make any comment, our response is measured and as it should be. Chinese comments on the Prime Minister’s visit to Arunachal are not for the first time. And even after that comment was made, I visited Arunachal. After coming from there, I said that Arunachal is an integral part of India," he said.

On the prospect of resolving the boundary question with China, he said "I am quite confident that all border disputes will be resolved through discussions, amicably".

On Chinese objections to the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Arunachal Pradesh recently to address an election rally, the senior Congress leader said "Prime Minister is the leader of the ruling party, therefore it is quite appropriate that he will go and canvass for his party candidates (during elections)."