Doval likely to raise Masood issue with China during visit

India is expected to take up the issue of China blocking its bid to have Pakistan-based terror group JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as terrorist by the UN when National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval travels to the neighbouring country next week.

Top government sources said on Saturday the NSA will bring up the topic during his meeting with his counterpart and State Councilor Yang Jiechi when he meets him in China for a strategic dialogue. 

Doval was scheduled to hold these talks in January but had cancelled Beijing visit after the Pathankot attack. Among other security issues, boundary talks are also expected to be held between the two sides.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar early this week said that India has taken up at a “fairly high level” with China the issue of Beijing blocking its bid to have Azhar designated as terrorist by the UN but the issue will not “overflow” into other areas of bilateral ties.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is also expected to raise the issue with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, whom she will be meeting on the sidelines of a trilateral in Moscow on April 18.

Last week, China stopped UN sanctions committee from designating Azhar as terrorist, maintaining that the case “did not meet the requirements” of the Security Council.