Rajnath Singh hopes for positive move from China in Doka La standoff, says India has no ambition to expand borders

India has never attacked any country and has no ambition to expand its borders, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday. “India has never attacked any country, nor does it have an ambition to expand its borders. Security forces are equipped to handle any situation (at the border),” Singh said at an event organised by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. He further said that a solution to the ongoing stand-off between India and China at Doka La would be found soon and hoped that Beijing would make a positive move in this regard. “There will be a solution soon and I am sure China will make a positive move,” he said. The home minister said he wanted to convey a message to all neighbouring countries that India wanted peace. [caption id=“attachment_3513139” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Rajnath Singh. PTI[/caption] However, Singh made it clear that Indian security forces were capable of defending the country’s territories. “Our security forces have all the power to protect Indian borders,” he said. The ITBP guards the 4,057 km long Sino-Indian border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh. India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doka La area of the Sikkim sector after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area. China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doka La areas. Bhutan says Doka La belongs to it but China claims it to be its territory. China has been ramping up rhetoric against India over the last few weeks demanding immediate withdrawal of Indian troops from Dokla La. The Chinese state media, particularly, have carried a barrage of critical articles on the Doka La stand-off slamming India. With inputs from agencies