Doklam standoff: 53 Indian troops still illegally present, alleges China

India should withdraw its troops and equipment, they have infringed on our sovereignty: China

Press Trust of India  |  Beijing 

Doklam stand off
India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for over 50 days

Fifty-three and a bulldozer were present at the area, a report in a state-run daily said today, quoting the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The ministry, according to the Global Times, asked to withdraw its troops and equipment from what it called the "Chinese territory".


Citing the ministry, the daily said that 53 people and a bulldozer from the Indian side remain in "Chinese territory" as of Monday.

"should withdraw its troops and equipment...They have gravely infringed on China's sovereignty," the ministry was quoted as having said by the daily.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang last week said that "there were 48 and one bulldozer" in area as of August 2.

"In addition, there are still a large number of Indian armed forces congregating on the boundary and on the Indian side of the boundary," Geng had said.

A 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry had earlier said that there were over 40 Indian border troops and one bulldozer in the area by the July end.

Countering Chinese contention, sources in New last week maintained that around 350 personnel have been in for last six weeks after tried to build a road in the area, triggering the standoff.

and have been locked in a face-off in the area of the sector for over 50 days after stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the from the disputed plateau. says belongs to it but claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with over it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which recognises as Doklam, while claims it as part of its Donglang region.

The military standoff between and in the region has lasted for almost two months now, and there is still no end in sight, the Chinese daily added.

India's position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.