With the stand-off continuing in Doklam in Sikkim, China on Tuesday did not take part in the ceremonial meeting at the line of Actual Control (lAC) on the occasion of Independence Day even though the Indian Army had extended the invitation. These border personnel meetings (BPM) are held every year on five locations on the 4,000 km long lAC on Independence Day, Republic Day and People’s liberation Army(PlA) Day of China.
Incidentally, China had not invited the Indian side on the occasion of PlA Day on August one this year.
The ceremonial meetings are part of confidence building measures and are held at Daulat Beg Oldie and Chushul(ladakh), Bum la and Kibithu(Arunachal Pradesh) and Nathu la in Sikkim, sources said here on Tuesday.
The face-off between the two armies is on since June 16 and in this backdrop the fate of annual Hand-in-Hand joint exercise between the two armies also hangs in balance as the Chinese delegation to finalise the details did not come to India last month. The exercise held alternately in India and China is slated to be held there in late October this year. The exercises comprise 100-odd soldiers from each side practicing together counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency drills in urban and rural scenarios.
Meanwhile, it is status quo at Doklam, sources said adding nearly 300 to 350 Indian soldiers and an equal number of Chinese troops are facing each other at a distance of 150 to 200 metres.
The entire area located a height of 11,000 feet is now a tented colony with the Indian side pitching more than ten tents with each tent having a capacity to accommodate 10 to 12 soldiers.
It is raining intermittently with temperatures hovering between five to six degrees Celsius. The Indian soldiers are adequately equipped and the Army has ensured uninterrupted logistical line to look after the soldiers at the stand-off site, they said.
While China is insisting that the Indian troops should withdraw first before any possibility of a dialogue while India has reiterated that there should be mutual pull back of troops for talks.