Editorial: Doklam fears resurface

In a U-turn that sent alarm bells in India, Bhutan Prime Minister asserted that China has an equal say in resolving the Doklam dispute

Hyderabad: The ghosts of the past appear to be coming back to haunt Indian diplomacy. The concerns over Doklam plateau, a strategic tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China, have resurfaced again, nearly three years after the region witnessed a military stand-off between New Delhi and Beijing. In a U-turn that has sent alarm bells in India, Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering has asserted that China has an equal say in resolving the Doklam dispute. This is a worrisome development for India which is entirely opposed to China extending its footprint in Doklam since the high-altitude plateau lies close to the sensitive Siliguri corridor, the narrow tract of land that separates India’s North-eastern States from the rest of the country. China aims to shift the tri-junction southward, which would make the entire Doklam plateau legally part of China, a move that India rejects. Tshering’s statement, made during a media interview, runs contrary to his 2019 stand that the existing tri-junction point should not be disturbed unilaterally. The volte face indicates that China is intensifying pressure on Bhutan to have its way on the border dispute. In January, China and Bhutan had agreed to expedite negotiations in this regard. In recent years, China has also stepped up efforts to establish formal diplomatic relations with Bhutan. Wooing Thimphu is part of Beijing’s strategy to wrest the initiative from New Delhi, militarily as well as diplomatically. There are apprehensions that Bhutan might cede a portion of its territory to China.

Beijing’s hegemonic ambitions have created several flashpoints across the region. During a two-month-long military stand-off at Doklam in 2017, India had displayed maturity and resoluteness and ensured restoration of status quo, despite provocative posturing by China. The development had also demonstrated New Delhi’s commitment to protect territorial and security interests of Bhutan in tune with the bilateral security agreement. The dispute had erupted when Chinese troops entered Doklam plateau and started road construction works. If allowed unhindered, it would have given them a major strategic and territorial advantage and altered the status quo in the disputed region with serious security ramifications for India. Peeling Bhutan away from India has been part of China’s long-term strategy to ensure unquestioned dominance in Asia. It already has a vice-like grip over Pakistan as the ambitious networking project China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has the potential to turn Pakistan into a client state. What is more baffling is Tshering’s denial of reports that the Chinese are building villages on Bhutanese territory. It is obvious that he doesn’t want to rile China, notwithstanding the implications his stance can have for India-Bhutan ties. The takeaway for India is to proactively resolve its own boundary dispute with China and preclude the latter’s expansionist moves. The two countries are at odds even over the length of the Line of Actual Control.

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