India and China say they are in talks over border standoff

Neither side has commented directly on US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate

An Indian army vehicle crosses Chang La pass near Pangong Lake in Ladakh, a remote Himalayan region where Indian and Chinese soldiers have been in a bitter standoff since early May 2020. AP

India said it was in direct talks with China to resolve the most serious military standoff on their disputed border in recent years, after US President Donald Trump said he had offered to mediate.

Soldiers have been facing off in the remote Ladakh region in the Himalayas since early May, accusing each other of trespassing and in recent days both sides have dug in defences and brought equipment.

Mr Trump said in a Twitter post the United States had told India and China that it was ready to arbitrate their "raging border dispute", the first time he has tried to throw himself into India-China diplomacy.

"We are engaged with the Chinese side to peacefully resolve this issue," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters on Thursday in response to questions about the US offer.

China has not yet made an official comment.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that the border situation was “generally stable and controllable”.

The sides were communicating through both their front-line military units and their respective embassies to “properly resolve relevant issues through dialogue and consultation,” Mr Zhao said at a daily ministry news briefing in Beijing.

Mr Srivastava said India wanted peace and stability at the border but would defend its territory.

"Our troops have taken a responsible approach towards border management and are following protocols," Mr Srivastava said.

The dispute is the most serious since India and China, who fought a brief war in 1962, were locked in a similar faceoff at the other end of their disputed border in 2017.

The 73-day standoff in Doklam in the eastern Himalayas began when Indian troops were mobilised to counter what was seen as moves by the Chinese side to expand its presence along the border with Bhutan. The situation was defused through diplomatic channels.

Despite talks spread over two decades, the two countries have not been able to settle their 3,500km border and lay claim to large tracts of remote territory in each other's possession.

Military observers say one likely reason for the latest border tensions is India's effort to build new air strips and roads near the de-facto border to try to narrow the gap with China's superior infrastructure.

Despite ongoing talks between the local military commanders and diplomats, there is no sign of a de-escalation, Indian sources aware of the situation told Reuters.

New Delhi says Chinese troops have intruded into Indian territory and must withdraw to defuse the crisis. The Chinese side wants India to stop all construction activity in the area, saying the whole area is disputed, one of the sources said.