The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday denied reports of troop built-up by China in the Doklam region saying that the status quo at the face-off site has not been altered.
“Our attention has been drawn to some reports that question the accuracy of the position stated by the Government in respect to the situation in Doklam. It may be recalled that last year, a face-off situation that had arisen in the Doklam region, was resolved following diplomatic discussions between India and China, based on which both sides arrived at an understanding for the disengagement of their border personnel at the face-off site.”Subsequently, in response to repeated questions about any change in the status quo at the face-off site, Government had stated that there was no basis for such imputations. Government would once again reiterate that the status quo at the face-off site has not been altered. Any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate and mischievous,” the MEA said in a statement.
Media reports claimed that China has set up a huge military base on its side of the plateau in the Doklam region, which is hardly a kilometer away from the face-off site. However, the Army chief General Rawat on Wednesday said that the situation remains under control in the area and the Indian Army too is present in the area in substantial number. He conceded that the PlA has carried out some infrastructure development in the region, mostly in temporary in nature. “But while their troops may have returned and the infrastructure remains, it is anybody’s guess whether they would come back there, or it is because of the winter they could not take their equipment away,” Rawat had said during a session in the `Raisina Dialogue’ organized by Ministry of External Affairs and Observer Research Foundation.