Kargil: India today (Dec 26, 2003) said its relationship with China was on the "upswing" and the Sikkim issue with it "has been resolved".

"Sikkim ka vivad mit gaya hein (Sikkim problem has been resolved). This is a very big achievement," Defence Minister George Fernandes said addressing the Army Jawans of eighth mountaineering division in Kargil.

When asked what he meant by "vivad mit gaya hein", Fernandes told reporters, "You can say the issue has been resolved."

"China has taken Sikkim off its map", he said adding the formalities were however still to be completed.

Fernandes said his visit to Beijing in April 2002 and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to China subsequently have helped in improving the relationship between the two Asian neighbours.

The Defence Minister later went to Bhuj in Gujarat where he visited the Indo-Pak borders on the Rann of Kutch.

Both at Kargil and Bhuj he distributed Christmas cakes to jawans in forward areas.