Dokalam standoff: India, China hold border personnel meet in Nathu La

Face-off between armies of both nations at India-Bhutan-China tri-junction figured in the meeting

Amid the Dokalam standoff, Army personnel from India and China on Friday are understood to have held a meeting at Nathu La mountain pass in Sikkim.

The face-off between armies of the two countries at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction in Dokalam figured in the border personnel meeting (BPM), a source said.

The BPM set up was launched by both countries to sort out local issues and ensure peace and tranquility along the sensitive border.

The two sides hold BPM in five points which include Daulat Beg Oldie in northern Ladakh, Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, Chusul in Ladakh, Bum-La near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and Nathu-La in Sikkim.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for nearly eight weeks after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims it to be its territory.

China has been ramping up rhetoric against India over the last few weeks demanding immediate withdrawal of Indian troops from Dokalam. The Chinese state media, particularly, have carried a barrage of critical articles on the Dokalam stand- off slamming India.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had recently said both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.

India also conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.