India says talks on to end standoff with China

The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, speaks during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, unseen, as part of a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, April 11, 2013. AP

NEW DELHI — India’s prime minister says he’s against intensifying a standoff with China after Chinese soldiers allegedly infiltrated deep inside Indian-claimed territory.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says it’s possible to resolve the problem through talks, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

“We do not want to accentuate the situation. I think the talks are going on,” PTI quoted Singh as saying Saturday.

India says Chinese troops crossed the de facto border between the countries and went 10 kilometers (six miles) into Indian territory on April 15. About 50 Chinese soldiers are camping in tents Kashmir’s Ladakh region.

India has asked China to withdraw the soldiers. China has dismissed reports of an incursion and says the border region is peaceful.