Doklam standoff: India, China should resolve issue through dialogue, says US

Washington: Amid the ongoing stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at the Doklam area, the United States has called on the Asian giants to sit down and have a direct dialogue to resolve their issues.

US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, "Just that we are encouraging both parties to sit down and have direct dialogue,” when asked to spell out US' stand on 'another round of skirmish and tension from India and China.'

The US' remarks came a day after Indian border guards foiled an attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Indian territory along the banks of famous Pangong lake in Ladakh.

New Delhi and Beijing have been engaged in the standoff in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction since June after a Chinese Army's construction party attempted to build a road. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while the 'Dragon' claims it as part of its Donglang region.

India has said Beijing's action to "unilaterally determine tri-junction points" violated a 2012 India-China pact which says the boundary would be decided by consulting all the concerned parties.

'India, China soldiers involved in border altercation'

Indian and Chinese soldiers were involved in an altercation on Tuesday when the Chinese troops tried to enter Indian territory in Ladakh, near the Pangong lake, a Reuters report said.

A source in New Delhi, who had been briefed on the military situation on the border, said soldiers foiled a bid by a group of Chinese troops to enter Indian territory in Ladakh.

Some of the Chinese soldiers carried iron rods and stones, and in the melee there were minor injuries on both sides, the source said.