In a rather confusing development, the ministry of external affairs clarified that it has not told senior ministers that there would be no withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam. Indian and Chinese troops are in a stand-off in the disputed area, which is a tri-border junction of India, China and Bhutan.
Does this indicate a shift in India's steadfastly-held position that it will not withdraw from Doklam? China has been repeatedly saying that withdrawal of Indian forces is a precondition for any talks between the two countries.
India has been maintaining that the stand-off on the border can be resolved diplomatically—a message that foreign secretary S. Jaishankar put across during his speech in Singapore a few days ago. It is the same statement that mandarins of the ministry have been stressing at every given opportunity. This, despite all the provocation from Beijing, which has now even suggested mediating in the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.
India's presence in Doklam is of importance, given that India was co-patrolling the border along with Bhutan. Bhutan has been a protégé of India, and withdrawing troops now runs the risk of losing face, as well as the 'Big Brother' status in the subcontinent.
The MEA's statement came after Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met some opposition leaders on the situation in Kashmir and Sikkim.
