Status quo intact at Doklam face-off site; ties with China improved: Swaraj

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that there was no change in the status quo at the face-off site in Doklam and asserted that a major outcome of last month's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping was enhancing of mutual trust between the two countries.

Swaraj, addressing a press conference to mark the fourth anniversary of the NDA government, said there were apprehensions that the Doklam standoff would not be resolved without the two neighbouring countries going to war.

However, she said that both sides managed to resolve it through dialogue and diplomacy.

"The global community appreciated India for being able to resolve the Doklam standoff with China through dialogue and diplomacy," she said.

"There has been no change in the situation at the Doklam faceoff site. Status quo is continuing," Swaraj said, replying to a question on the issue.

She refuted the reports of some devotees at Kailash Mansarovar in China not being allowed to take a holy dip in the lake there.

Hundreds of Indian pilgrims undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra every year. She said there has been a designated area for taking the holy dip in the lake and it continues to be so.

"There is always a designated place where any devotee can take a bath. You cannot take bath in any part of the lake," she said.

Swaraj said the informal summit between Modi and Xi was very successful as all its aims were achieved.

"The aim of the informal summit was to improve easiness in ties, enhance mutual understanding between the two countries on global issues and improve mutual trust. And we achieved all these three objectives," she said.

Swaraj said Xi had told Modi to call him up whenever he wants to talk to him.

Prime Minister Modi also told the Chinese president that whenever he wants to know his views on any issue, he can call him up, she said.