(LiveMint)
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday ruled out the possibility of Doklam II—or a repeat of a 73 day long tense military standoff—between Asian giants India and China on a plateau in Bhutan last year. The minister however underlined the need for vigilance and the need to stay alert along India’s borders with China.
Speaking at the News18 Rising India Conclave in New Delhi, Sitharaman fielded a wide array of questions – from a perceived inadequate defence budget that does not provide for modernisation to the opposition Congress party’s allegations that the Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance led government was paying exorbitant prices for the French built Rafale aircraft.
“There is no Doklam II that I can think of,” the minister said when asked about a reported buildup of Chinese troops and infrastructure on the Bhutanese plateau of Doklam, the scene of the faceoff last year. “At various levels the engagement is going on,” she said referring to interactions between military personnel of India and China at the border and meetings between the special representatives of the two sides charged with resolving the boundary dispute. Sitharaman herself is expected to travel to China next month.
