New Delhi, May 3
Amid the border stand-off in the Ladakh region, Indian officials today insisted the two-day China visit of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on May 9 was very much on. Yet there were reports saying his visit could be doubtful.

The contradictory reports emerged after he told reporters on board his aircraft bound for Iran that the progress in dialogue with China to end the impasse was not satisfactory.

Khurshid is due to meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and other Chinese leaders to do the groundwork for Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s trip to India in the third week of May.

Indian officials say India and China are in regular touch at various levels to end the current stalemate. “We have been able to communicate our concerns to the Chinese,” an official source said, emphasising that this was an event limited in its geographical scope.

Sources said India wants the two countries to return to the position that existed on April 15. Chinese spokesperson Wang Yi was quoted as saying in Beijing that India and China were committed to resolving disputes, including the one on boundary, through peaceful negotiations.