Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Doklam disengagement

The rising tension over Doklam at the tri-junction of Bhutan, India and China has finally been reduced through apt diplomatic efforts made by China and India together. Both China and India pulled back their respective forces from Doklam. Both honoured disengagement agreement. Doklam is virtually the territory of Bhutan, which is at tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China. China tried to make a motorable road through Doklam, posing a security threat to India. Indian Army jawans stopped the Chinese road construction team from working there that resulted in the scuffle between Chinese and Indian soldiers also. China showed one sided aggression at least verbally through its state run media, but India always showed restraint and patience to hold on. India showed China that it cannot change the status quo in Doklam as per the agreement between the two in 2012. It cannot be done by force. India had already assured Himalayan kingdom of providing security to its territorial sovereignty. China became furious at India for obstructing its road making spree as it was its part of a programme of encircling India. It threw challenges to India time and again to aggravate the situation. China must know that India can't buckle under pressure, and it proved all its threat as bubbles in the air. India remained resolute and committed to its stand. Indian army was unmoved and adamant not to allow the status of Doklam change forcibly by China. India held its ground. It is also India's success that it dealt Doklam issue diplomatically. China felt that when the territory did not belong to India, why did it oppose with all military might at its disposal? India never displayed aggression and even did not counter Chinese state run-media's belligerent story in the same vein. But even if China pulled its troop, it must not be fully believed that it would now not resort to aggression again. India is required to be alive to China's double standard approach to serve its interest. India is a formidable country and it would not be easy for China to go to war with it over Doklam. It has been the characteristics of China and India that despite border dispute in place since 1962, no single fire has been shot from any side. It is Chinese expansionist market policy and India’s military might that now restrain China from going to war. As India is the largest market for Chinese goods, it is difficult for China to think of war option in this age of open economy. So, as both India and China are emerging economy in the world, they will avoid war at all costs. The great change has come over in every respect since 1962. Neither India nor China can behave as if they were in 1962. This is 2017, not 1962. Both the countries are required to take measures that could help them prosper together. Economy governs and controls every sphere of life. It plays a very important role in planning and implementation of economic measures. If war breaks between the two countries, all economic activities would immediately come to a standstill. So, neither China nor India likes to go to war. War means destruction. No constructive work can be done during the time of war. China is rigid country. Expansion in terms of a territorial area may be its wish, but now the time changed and no country likes to involve itself in any type of quarrel.

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