Dokalam stand-off: Govt calls all-party meeting; Sushma, Rajnath to brief Opposition

New Delhi: In the wake of an Army face-off and chill in ties with China over Dokalam stand-off, the government has called an all-party meeting on Friday to apprise the entire Opposition on the issue, reports said.

Reports said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh are expected to meet the Opposition and brief them about the present scenario regarding the Dokalam stand-off.

All the Opposition party leaders from Trinamool Congress to Left parties to Congress have been extended invitations for the meet.

China and India have been engaged in the standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction since last month 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 China 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.

The Indian Army is ready for a long haul in holding onto its position in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric against India demanding pulling back of its troops.

The Indian soldiers deployed in the disputed area have pitched in tents, in an indication that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China's PLA personnel in ending the face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section.

A steady line of supplies is being maintained for the soldiers at the site, official sources said, signalling that Indian Army is not going to wilt under any pressure from China.