Brics: Ajit Doval will attend NSAs’ meeting in July

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval (above centre) will attend a Brics meeting with his counterparts from Brazil, Russia, China and South African in the last week of July. The announcement comes as New Delhi and Beijing are involved in a standoff in the Sikkim section of the border.

Earlier on Thursday, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said China had intentionally changed the status-quo at the Bhutan tri-junction during the Monsoon Session in Parliament.

Swaraj also said while the development had placed India’s security under threat, New Delhi is prepared to handle any situation. The Union minister also said India continued to have free and uninterrupted passage for commercial vessels in the Indian Ocean region.

“Diplomatic channels and diplomatic communications have never been ceased, they have never broken,” MEA spokesperson Gopal Bagalay said.

The standoff in Sikkim’s Doklam area

India and China are currently locked in a diplomatic standoff. Both nations have maintained that troops from the other country had transgressed into their territory in the Sikkim sector’s Doklam area.

Bilateral ties have been strained since the Indian Army stopped China from constructing a road in the region. New Delhi has made it clear that it will not allow China to construct a motorable road up to the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction through the Doklam plateau.

Corrections and clarifications: This story has been edited to reflect that Ajit Doval will attend a meeting of the NSAs of Brics countries, and not the summit itself.