India Calls China’s Explanation for Canceling Commemorative Stamps ‘Factually Incorrect’

NEW DELHI, (Sputnik) - The Indian External Affairs Ministry on Friday rejected China’s justification for canceling the joint issue of commemorative stamps over lack of feedback.

The countries agreed in April to mark the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties with a stamp depicting a Buddhist grotto in China’s Gansu province. But the Chinese Post Bureau said on Tuesday the plan had been canceled.

China recently released a documentary on its border defense soldiers stationed in Ngari, near the Line of Actual Control with India, at an elevation of 5,681 meters

© Photo : Global Times/twitter

India’s foreign ministry spokesman cited a tweet by the Chinese Embassy that it said suggested the project had been scrapped over lack of feedback from India before the agreed launch date.

"There had been no discussion on any launch date with any Chinese authorities for this activity. We have also seen the Chinese embassy's tweet suggesting that this event was canceled by the Chinese side on account of no feedback given by the Indian side before the launch time agreed by both - this is factually incorrect," Anurag Srivastava said.

Ties between the two neighbors have been strained since deadly clashes broke out between their soldiers over a disputed demarcation line high up in the Himalayas in June. India said at least 20 of its soldiers had been killed.