China has not done any major troop mobilisation close to the border, senior sources in the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
In the last two days, a couple of videos circulated in the media showing massive exercises by the People’s Liberation Army. The Chinese media reported a huge mobilisation of resources amid the stand-off in Doklam.
PLA Daily , the official mouthpiece of Chinese military, reported on Wednesday that the Chinese Army had moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware to a region south of the Kunlun Mountains in northern Tibet late last month.
The Indian Defence Ministry sources said there was a general state of alert, but no major movement of troops. “The exercise in the video is a routine annual exercise that took place in early June... It took place near Lhasa in Tibet, 700 km from the border...,” a source said.
Army sources last week ruled out any flag meeting between commanders to end the stalemate as the issue was being discussed at the highest level.
Briefing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said diplomatic efforts were under way to end the stand-off.
On June 16, Chinese troops tried to lay a road through the disputed area. This was blocked by Indian troops. Since then, troops of both countries have pitched tents, separated by 100-150 metres. About 300 Indian soldiers are facing a slightly fewer Chinese troops.
(With PTI inputs)
