India briefs foreign envoys on Doklam

India here on Tuesday briefed top diplomats of a few foreign embassies individually on their request about the current Sino-Indian military stand-off in the Doklam area of Bhutan, even as foreign secretary S. Jaishankar reportedly told a parliamentary panel on Tuesday that China’s stand on the recent Dokalam dispute is unusually aggressive and articulate. However, Mr Jaishankar, who was briefing the panel on external affairs, said New Delhi is engaged with Beijing in defusing tension through diplomatic channels, with some TV channels reporting that Mr Jaishankar advocated a “deep breath, stop and engage” policy as a way of resolving the matter.

It has been learnt that New Delhi briefed top diplomats of a few foreign countries in New Delhi about the stand-off after China carried out a similar exercise of briefing foreign diplomats in Beijing about the stand-off last week.

Speculation is rife that New Delhi may be keeping important countries such as the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Japan and Germany in the loop about the developments. It would also indicate that foreign missions in New Delhi are worried about the stand-off.

TV reports say Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had asked certain questions at the meeting of the panel of which he is also a member. Mr Gandhi asked about the Chinese intentions and the IndoBhutanese relationship.

“Jaishankar said China’s aggression and rhetoric is unusual but not that complicated as is being projected. We will continue to engage with them through diplomatic channels,” one of the MPs in the panel was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.