'Strength of Indian, Chinese Army reduced in Doklam following standoff but India keeping close watch in area'

New Delhi [India], July 18 (ANI): The strength of both Indian and Chinese troops at the Doklam plateau has reduced after disengagement in August 2017 but India is still closely monitoring Chinese activities in the area, the Defence Ministry said in its annual report released on Thursday.
"After the disengagement from Doklam plateau by both sides on August 28, 2017, strength of Indian and Chinese Army has been reduced there. Indian Army is monitoring Chinese activities in the area and is adequately prepared to respond to any contingency there," the report said.
The report said both the sides had redeployed themselves post disengagement near the stand-off site.
Indian and Chinese Army personnel were engaged in an eyeball to eyeball confrontation during the 72-day standoff at Doklam Plateau in 2017.
The crisis erupted after the Chinese side tried to undertake construction work in the tri-junction area of India, China and Bhutan border.
During the standoff, the Chinese media threatened India of war if it did not go back to the original position. India however, refused to relent.
After several rounds of negotiations, the two sides decided to "mutually disengage" from the site.
The ties between the two nations have been on the upswing since then with Chinese President Xi Jinping hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan (China).
The annual report also suggested that the number of faceoffs and aggressive interactions during transgressions by the Chinese Army into Indian territory have also reduced this year as compared to last year.
"Only two instances took place where there was major difference of opinion between India and China took place including one in Eastern Ladakh over the building of a benign track and construction of an operating base in Andrathang in Arunachal Pradesh," The report stated.
The report said after the informal meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan, the number of flag meetings between the two Armies has also gone up.
"This may be attributed to the intent to resolve the outstanding issues through discussion at various levels," the report said.
In the report, the Defence Ministry said the Army received 15 allegations from the National Human Rights Commission about allegations of violation of human rights.
"Of the 15, six investigations have been completed and all of them have been found false. Balance are currently under investigation," the report said.
The reports stated that in 2018, Pakistan orchestrated an international campaign on Kashmir through it sponsored proxies by trying to project law and order actions as trumped-up human rights cases of excess use of force.
"Pakistan's effort to portray Kashmir issue has received a fillip following the publication of two international reports by the United Nations human rights commission and the British parliaments' all-party coordination committee. Indian Army is proactively engaging with the external affairs ministry and home ministry to counter propaganda both at international and national fora," the report said. (ANI)