India on Thursday sidestepped questions on whether Bhutan had informed New Delhi about its decision to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China for a three-step road map to expedite a boundary settlement between the two countries, including at Doklam — the site of the face-off between Indian and Chinese armies in 2017.

The Bhutanese foreign ministry had earlier in the day announced the signing of the MoU to provide a “fresh impetus to the boundary talks” that have been going on since 1984.

The process had got stalled after the Doklam face-off. In April this year, an expert group met for the first time since the Doklam incident and agreed to sign the MoU.

According to the Bhutanese foreign ministry, the negotiations have been guided by the 1988 Joint Communiqué on the Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the Boundary and the 1998 Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace, Tranquillity and Status Quo in the Bhutan-China Border Areas.

Asked about the announcement, Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said: “We have noted the signing of the MoU. You are aware that they have been holding boundary negotiations since 1984.”

He did not respond to questions on whether Bhutan had informed India about the decision, whether New Delhi considered this a major development and if it was concerned that the boundary agreement could result in China controlling Doklam.