No need for multiple statements on sensitive Dokalam issue: Government

NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley today refused to interpret the significance of resolution of the China-India face-off at Dokalam, saying it was a "sensitive" issue and that the government had already conveyed its position.

The External Affairs Ministry has already articulated the government's stand on the issue, he told reporters at a briefing.

"Given the sensitivity of the issue, there is no need to make multiple statements," Jaitley said when asked whether the resolution of the Dokalam standoff was a big achievement for India.


Jaitley, who also announced the government's decision to carry out major reforms in the Army to enhance its combat capability, said the exercise had nothing to do with any specific incident and had been going on since much before Dokalam.

He was responding to a question that whether the reform process was undertaken keeping in view the Dokalam incident.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian army personnel stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area.

On August 28, the MEA had announced that both the countries agreed to an "expeditious disengagement" at the face-off site following diplomatic communications.