India-China faceoff is actually in Bhutan

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 28

In a clear show of pro-active military intent from New Delhi, the current standoff between the armies of India and China is actually on the Bhutan-China disputed territory. The intent is to help Bhutan, a friend. 

Edit: Sino-India border flap

Sources confirmed that the standoff with China is in Bhutan’s territory and in a disputed area which is controlled by Thimphu but coveted by Beijing.

The 89-square-km patch of territory in the Chumbi valley — sitting between Sikkim and Bhutan — is an unresolved boundary dispute Beijing has with Thimphu. The two countries have failed to resolve it despite 24 rounds of negotiations since 1984.

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Indian troops have blocked a road under construction by China in a part of territory under dispute. It’s called the Donglang region by China, Bhutan calls it Doklam Plateau and India refers to it as Doka La.

The same plateau extends to the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction at the southern tip of Chumbi valley. The border with China is accepted by India along Sikkim, so there is no dispute between the two.

Meanwhile, in Beijing,  China said the standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops on the border smacked of New Delhi’s hidden agenda of “meddling” in Bhutan’s internal affairs. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said there was no dispute about Donglong which belonged to China, and not to India or Bhutan.

The region holds immense strategic importance for India and China. Lying east of Sikkim, it has a commanding view of the Chumbi valley (largely held by China)  and overlooks the narrow Siliguri Corridor that links the North-East to the rest of India.

If the Chinese gain control of Donglang, they gain the ability to essentially cut off India’s access to the North-eastern states in case of a conflict. In 1996, Beijing indicated it was ready to swap territorial claims in northern Bhutan in lieu of Donglang.

Meanwhile, the Chinese state-run media today said India needs to be taught the rules of the game.