A day after US President Donald Trump offered to mediate between India and China in what he termed a “raging border dispute,” New Delhi on Thursday virtually rejected the US proposal saying it was “engaged” with Beijing at diplomatic level to resolve the issue “peacefully.”

Making the Indian stand clear, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “Our engagement on the diplomatic front continues both in Delhi as well as in Beijing.”

India and China, he said, have engagements both at the military level as well as diplomatic levels. The two nations have signed several protocols on maintaining peace and tranquility at the border. There are many agreements on this issue.

“Our troops have taken a very responsible approach towards border management. They scrupulously follow the guidance provided by our leadership. At the same time, we will defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.

The US President in a tweet message from Washington had said, “We have informed both India and China that the United States is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate their now raging border dispute.”

Besides indicating that the LAC dispute was a bilateral issue and there was no need for third party interference, India on Thursday also said the two countries (India and China) have established a mechanism to resolve the situation peacefully through dialogue.

Sources also said talks at the local military level between commanders of the two armies are also on. In fact, more than seven rounds of talks were held in the last fortnight but could not achieve a breakthrough.

The armies of India and China are involved in face-offs at four places for the last 25 days or so in Eastern Ladakh. The Chinese army has also intruded into the Hot Spring area near Galwan valley and reinforced its troop strength to over 5,000 in total at all the stand-off locations.

The Chinese are objecting to the construction of a bridge at the strategically important 250 km road running parallel to the LAC in the Galwan valley. However, India has maintained that the road is well within its territory and does not violate the LAC in any way. The Chinese have built bunkers on its side close to the LAC besides bringing forward heavy vehicles like armoured personnel carriers and increasing aerial vigil through more helicopter sorties.

Amidst the temperature rising at the LAC due to these transgressions, Chinese envoy to New Delhi Sun Weidong on Wednesday said “communication” was the way forward to end the eyeball to eyeball confrontation at the border.

His Government in Beijing also said the same day the situation on the border was “stable and controllable” adding both the countries have proper mechanisms and communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation.