Amid the standoff at Doklam, uncertainty continues over the ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between the armies of India and China on the eve of Independence Day.
“As of now BPM is unsure. We have invited them; acceptance from China is yet to come,” a senior official said on Monday.
Before ceremonial BPMs that are held on national days, either side gives confirmation a couple of days in advance. However, that has not happened this time. “We will wait and see what happens tomorrow,” the source added. The five BPM points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are at Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Daulat Beg Oldi and Chushul in Ladakh and Nathu La in Sikkim.
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In addition, there is also uncertainty over the annual bilateral military exercise Hand-in-Hand to be held later this year. The joint planning conference has not taken place thus far, but it has not been formally cancelled either.