India on Friday denied that there were any fresh developments in the Sikkim sector’s Doklam region, the site of a two-month stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops that was called off in August. Recent reports have suggested that Chinese troops continue to remain in the region even five weeks after the two countries agreed to disengage troops from the area.

“There are no new developments at the face-off site and its vicinity since the August 28 disengagement,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. “The status quo prevails in the area.”

Earlier on Friday, in response to the reports, China defended the presence of its troops in the Doklam area and said its soldiers were patrolling the region to exercise Beijing’s sovereignty, PTI reported.

“The Donglang [Doklam] area has always belonged to China and has been under the effective jurisdiction of China,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry told PTI.

Quoting government sources, The Indian Express reported on Friday that Indian soldiers in Doklam were on high alert as around 1,000 Chinese troops were still present in the region just 800 metres from the site of the standoff. Another report on October 1, by The Times of India, had quoted unidentified officials as saying that Chinese and Indian troops had both stepped up forces in Doklam.

The Doklam plateau is located near the tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China. Both Thimphu and Beijing claim it as their territory.

During the Indo-Sino standoff between June and August, Beijing and New Delhi had both maintained that troops from the other nation had transgressed into their territory in the region. Bilateral ties were strained after the Indian Army stopped China from constructing a road in Doklam. New Delhi had said it will not allow China to construct a motorable road up to the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction through the Doklam plateau.

India had announced the disengagement of its troops from Dolkam on August 29 after a prolonged, 74-day standoff.