Home > Topics > Doklam

Doklam

Doklam plateau has been a bone of contention between China and Bhutan for several years with serious security implications for India too. Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a tense standoff for 73 days from June to August 2017 in the Doklam region, which is at the tri-junction border of India, Bhutan and China, after the latter attempted to build roads in the plateau. Chinese troops reached Doklam in early June with heavy machinery including bulldozers and excavators to build road in the region. Control of Doklam plateau would have given the Chinese troops a direct view of the Indian territory around Siliguri, which is extremely critical strategically for India as the narrow strip of land connects the Northeast to the mainland.

The Siliguri corridor is just 17 kilometres wide at some places and is known as Chicken's Neck. All the land routes from West Bengal to Assam and other Northeastern states pass through the corridor. Maintaining a credible defence force in the Northeast depends on securing the Siliguri corridor and if Chinese troops control Doklam overlooking the area, they can potentially choke supplies to Indian forces stationed in the Northeast.

As the Northeast is completely landlocked, road and rail routes are the lifeline for the region. Any threat to the Chicken's Neck will jeopardise Indian defences in the Northeast, parts of which are claimed by China. Supplying troops through the aerial route will only result in limited provisions and may not be enough in the event of a war with China.

So, who controls Doklam, an area of almost 269 square kilometres in western Bhutan, becomes crucial. Doklam plateau belongs to Bhutan but the security of the area is India's responsibility as the former has no diplomatic ties with China. After Chinese troops reached Doklam to construct roads to link the Chinese territory of Yadong to Doklam, Indian Army moved to the area to confront them.

Troops of both the countries were involved in pushing and shoving each other, raising the temperature along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Chinese media kept on harping that it was India that was the intruder. On the other hand India advocated talks to resolve the standoff as the two sides had agreed in 2012 to settle any dispute related to the Bhutanese territory of Doklam through joint consultation between the three countries.

The 73-day standoff at Doklam finally ended on August 28 after both India and China decided to disengage their troops. But China has stationed it troops a few kilometres from Doklam and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made an aerial survey of the Doklam-Nathula stretch on October 7.

While the Ministry of External Affairs has maintained that Chinese troops are not in Doklam, Indian Army has been on high alert. Nirmala Sitharaman met Army commander of Gangtok-based 17 Mountain Division, which is tasked with ensuring Doklam's security.

Modi-led Govt Displayed Strong Will Power, Forced China to Retreat in Doklam: Yogi Adityanath
India.com News Desk | April 6, 2019 2:27 PM IST
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday glorified the Modi-led governmen...
Modi-led Govt Displayed Strong Will Power, Forced China to Retreat in Doklam: Yogi Adityanath
indiacom
2019-04-06T03:27:23+00:00
2019-04-06T03:27:23+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Par panel concerned over Chinese infra close to Doklam
PTI Feeds | December 17, 2018 8:09 PM IST
New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) It took 13 rounds of diplomatic discussions between India and China to resol...
Par panel concerned over Chinese infra close to Doklam
indiacom
2018-12-17T09:09:57+00:00
2018-12-17T09:09:57+00:00
Doklam
India.com
India, China Hold Defence Talks a Year After Doklam Standoff, Agree to Enhance Military Exchanges
India.com News Desk | November 15, 2018 12:04 PM IST
New Delhi: A year after the Doklam standoff, India and China have agreed to enhance their military e...
India, China Hold Defence Talks a Year After Doklam Standoff, Agree to Enhance Military Exchanges
indiacom
2018-11-15T01:04:27+00:00
2018-11-15T01:04:27+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Troops Cross Line of Actual Control, Sent Back by Indian Army
India.com News Desk | October 15, 2018 1:30 PM IST
New Delhi: The Chinese soldiers crossed the Line of Actual Control in the Arunachal Sector but retur...
Arunachal Pradesh: Chinese Troops Cross Line of Actual Control, Sent Back by Indian Army
indiacom
2018-10-15T02:30:03+00:00
2018-10-15T02:33:00+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Chinese Actions Suggest More Doklam-like Incidents in Future, Army Must Prepare: Former Military Commanders
India.com News Desk | September 15, 2018 10:24 AM IST
Chinese Actions Suggest More Doklam-like Incidents in Future, Army Must Prepare: Former Military Commanders
indiacom
2018-09-14T23:24:39+00:00
2018-09-14T23:38:58+00:00
Doklam
India.com
India, China Take Another Step Towards Improving Relations; Set to Establish Hotline Between Defence Ministries
India.com News Desk | August 31, 2018 7:46 AM IST
New Delhi: India and China are in talks to establish a hotline between the two defence ministries as...
India, China Take Another Step Towards Improving Relations; Set to Establish Hotline Between Defence Ministri
indiacom
2018-08-30T20:46:09+00:00
2018-08-30T20:46:09+00:00
Doklam
India.com
My Political Ideology Has Been Fighting With RSS Idea For Thousands of Years, Says Rahul Gandhi
India.com News Desk | August 26, 2018 12:02 AM IST
London: Congress President Rahul Gandhi 's string of vitriolic comments at the UK Parliament has cre...
My Political Ideology Has Been Fighting With RSS Idea For Thousands of Years, Says Rahul Gandhi
indiacom
2018-08-25T13:02:51+00:00
2018-08-25T13:02:51+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Rahul Gandhi Stands by 'Chinese Still in Doklam' Claim, Accuses PM Modi of Not Discussing it With China
India.com News Desk | August 25, 2018 9:56 PM IST
New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi reiterated that " Chinese are still in Doklam " claim and...
Rahul Gandhi Stands by 'Chinese Still in Doklam' Claim, Accuses PM Modi of Not Discussing it With China
indiacom
2018-08-25T10:56:58+00:00
2018-08-25T11:19:55+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Truth is Chinese Are Still in Doklam Today, Claims Rahul Gandhi at IISS London
India.com News Desk | August 24, 2018 6:22 PM IST
London (UK): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a r...
Truth is Chinese Are Still in Doklam Today, Claims Rahul Gandhi at IISS London
indiacom
2018-08-24T07:22:49+00:00
2018-08-24T07:29:47+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Doklam Standoff: Year on, India, China to Discuss Confidence-building Measures
India.com News Desk | August 21, 2018 9:40 PM IST
New Delhi, Aug 21: A year after the Doklam standoff, India and China are set to discuss steps to str...
Doklam Standoff: Year on, India, China to Discuss Confidence-building Measures
indiacom
2018-08-21T10:40:18+00:00
2018-08-21T10:40:18+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Doklam Standoff: Centre Did Not Inform Sikkim About it, Says Chief Minister Pawan Chamling
India.com News Desk | August 21, 2018 8:14 PM IST
Gangtok, Aug 21: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has said that during the Doklam standoff with ...
Doklam Standoff: Centre Did Not Inform Sikkim About it, Says Chief Minister Pawan Chamling
indiacom
2018-08-21T09:14:51+00:00
2018-08-21T09:14:51+00:00
Doklam
India.com
A Year After Doklam Standoff, China 'Intrudes' 400 Meters Inside Ladakh Along Line of Actual Control
India.com News Desk | August 14, 2018 7:28 AM IST
New Delhi, Aug 14: China has reportedly intruded 400 meters inside Ladakh along the 4,057-km Line of...
A Year After Doklam Standoff, China 'Intrudes' 400 Meters Inside Ladakh Along Line of Actual Control
indiacom
2018-08-13T20:28:52+00:00
2018-08-13T20:28:52+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Kiren Rijiju: Soundbites More Important to Rahul Gandhi Than National Interest
Smriti Sinha | August 2, 2018 1:15 PM IST
New Delhi, Aug 2: Within hours of Congress President Rahul Gandhi trying to corner the Government ov...
Kiren Rijiju: Soundbites More Important to Rahul Gandhi Than National Interest
indiacom
2018-08-02T02:15:17+00:00
2018-08-02T02:16:44+00:00
Doklam
India.com
'Sushma ji Betrayed Jawans on Border,' Tweets Rahul Gandhi on Reports of China's Construction Work in Doklam
India.com News Desk | August 2, 2018 11:14 AM IST
New Delhi, Aug 2: The Congress continued its attack on the Government over its alleged subservience ...
'Sushma ji Betrayed Jawans on Border,' Tweets Rahul Gandhi on Reports of China's Construction Work in Doklam
indiacom
2018-08-02T00:14:26+00:00
2018-08-02T00:20:30+00:00
Doklam
India.com
China Continues Construction of Road in Kashmir's Shaksgam Valley
India.com News Desk | August 2, 2018 9:21 AM IST
New Delhi, Aug 2: China has been carrying out construction work in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as well...
China Continues Construction of Road in Kashmir's Shaksgam Valley
indiacom
2018-08-01T22:21:59+00:00
2018-08-01T22:21:59+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Doklam Dispute Resolved Through 'Diplomatic Maturity', Sushma Swaraj Informs Lok Sabha
India.com News Desk | August 1, 2018 2:40 PM IST
New Delhi, Aug 1: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Wednesday that the India-China fac...
Doklam Dispute Resolved Through 'Diplomatic Maturity', Sushma Swaraj Informs Lok Sabha
indiacom
2018-08-01T03:40:09+00:00
2018-08-01T03:40:09+00:00
Doklam
India.com
Government Denies China Renewed Activity in Doklam
India.com News Desk | July 27, 2018 7:36 AM IST
New Delhi, July 27: The government has strongly denied media reports that China had resumed activity...
Government Denies China Renewed Activity in Doklam
indiacom
2018-07-26T20:36:06+00:00
2018-07-26T20:37:07+00:00
Doklam
India.com
China Quietly Resumes Its Activities in Doklam, Actions in Himalayas Similar to South China Sea: US Official
India.com News Desk | July 26, 2018 3:49 PM IST
Months after the 73-day-long standoff between Indian and Chinese militaries in Doklam came to a clos...
China Quietly Resumes Its Activities in Doklam, Actions in Himalayas Similar to South China Sea: US Official
indiacom
2018-07-26T04:49:25+00:00
2018-07-26T06:20:42+00:00
Doklam
India.com
China Discusses Doklam With Bhutan
Indo-Asian News Service | July 24, 2018 4:01 PM IST
Beijing, July 24: China on Tuesday said it discussed the vexed boundary issue including the Doklam p...
China Discusses Doklam With Bhutan
indiacom
2018-07-24T05:01:02+00:00
2018-07-24T05:01:02+00:00
Doklam
India.com
An Year After Doklam Standoff, China Installs Unmanned Automatic Weather Observation Station Near Its Border With India in Tibet
India.com News Desk | July 18, 2018 8:38 AM IST
Beijing, Jul 18: China has installed an unmanned automatic weather observation station near its bord...
An Year After Doklam Standoff, China Installs Unmanned Automatic Weather Observation Station Near Its Border
indiacom
2018-07-17T21:38:51+00:00
2018-07-17T21:38:51+00:00
Doklam
India.com