Doklam: Indian Army won't lower its guard

Notwithstanding the troop disengagement from Doklam, the Indian Army wouldn’t lower its guard along the disputed Sino-Indian boundary that can witness more such flash points in the future.

The Indian Army has begun withdrawal of its troops from the contentious area near India-Bhutan-China tri-junction, but the officials are tight-lipped about the details of the disengagement process and the future course of action.

“The disengagement is in progress,” said an official in the army headquarters early in the day. “The process has been almost completed under verification,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement late in the evening.

Nearly 300-350 Indian troops under the command of the Siliguri-based 33 Corps were at Doklam ever since the standoff broke out in mid-June. The soldiers were rotated and a logistics chain was maintained to support the troops deployed at an altitude of nearly 14,000 ft in the Himalayas.

Indian troops were pulled back after China agreed to stop the construction of a road in the disputed territory near the tri-junction. This was the trigger that led to movement of Indian troops and heavy-duty earth moving vehicles to the contentious area inside Bhutan, triggering the standoff.

Beijing’s plan to extend a Class-5 operational road up to Gyamochen hill or Jampheri ridge in Bhutan on which Gyamochen lies was the root cause behind the contention. Access to the strategically significant Jampheri ridge would bring China very close to Jaldhaka near the Bhutan border from where it can wield its influence on the narrowest portion of the Siliguri corridor that connects the North East to the mainland India.

Chinese troop withdrawal from Doklam reportedly happened following a flag meeting between the local commanders as per the norms. However, there is no confirmation from the army and the defence ministry.

Following the standoff, the Indian Army increased its troop strength by 10-15% all along the nearly 4,000-km long Sino-Indian boundary, which remains a disputed zone.

The army anticipates more such Doklam-like flash points or “shallow” intrusions by the Chinese troops in the future.