India denies Chinese media report of meeting between Rajnath Singh and his counterpart Wei Fenghe

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will not meet his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of grand Victory Day parade in Moscow on Wednesday (June 24), ANI reported on Tuesday (June 23). It is to be noted that Global Times, the Chinese mouthpiece, had reported about the possibility of such a meeting between the two leaders in Russian capital.

"Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe will attend Russia's Victory Day parade in #Moscow on Wednesday, and likely hold a meeting with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh over resolving border tensions: sources," tweeted Global Times.

Rajanth Singh is currently on a three-day visit to Moscow to attend the Victory Parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Germany in the Second World War. It is expected that Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe would also attend the parade on Wednesday.

The development comes at a time when both India and China are trying to de-escalate tensions at the Line of Actual Control following deadly clashes on June 15 which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers, including a commanding officer, in Galwan Valley of Eastern Ladakh.

On Tuesday, Rajnath Singh called his visit to Moscow a sign of 'special friendship' between India and Russia. "My visit to Moscow is the first foreign visit from India of an official delegation during the COVID pandemic. This is a sign of our special friendship. Despite all the difficulties of the pandemic, our bilateral relations are keeping good contacts at the various levels," he said.

A 75-member Indian military contingent is scheduled to participate in Victory Parade alongside armed forces personnel from at least 11 countries, including China.

"It is a great honor that an Indian Military contingent will be marching in the Red Square tomorrow. Indian soldiers participated in the war effort in the millions and suffered immense causalities. Many of them were part of the war efforts to provide assistance to the Soviet Army," said Rajnath Singh.