No new developments at the face-off site: India on Doklam reports

Rejecting various reports coming about the situation in the Doklam region the external affairs ministry said on Friday there are no new developments at the India-China military face-off site in Doklam and its vicinity since the August 28 disengagement.

"The status quo prevails in this area. Any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect," the ministry said in a brief statement. The ministry was reacting to recent press reports on Doklam.

The reports said that China has maintained a sizeable presence of its troops near the site of the Doklam standoff with India and even started widening an existing road which is at a distance of around 12 km from the area of conflict.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army.

Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam.

Bhutan and India were in touch with each other during the course of the face-off that ended on August 28.

Earlier today, China defended the presence of its troops in the Dokalam area, over a month after the standoff with India ended, saying its soldiers are patrolling the region, also claimed by Bhutan, to exercise Beijing's sovereignty.