China's goal was to 'split' India and Bhutan over Doklam, says ex-NSA Shivshankar Menon

PTI | Updated: Feb 21, 2018, 22:07 IST

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HIGHLIGHTS

• China wanted to "show the Bhutanese that India could not defend their security and also to arouse Bhutanese opinion (on it). I am glad we chose to react the way we did: Shivshankar Menon
• Menon, who was NSA between 2010 and 2014 in the previous UPA rule, also said there was a need for an integrated approach in managing the country's borders

Fformer National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon (File photo)

NEW DELHI: China's political goal was to "split" India and Bhutan over the Doklam standoff, former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon said on Wednesday while appreciating the way the government handled the issue.

Menon, who was NSA between 2010 and 2014 in the previous UPA rule, also said there was a need for an integrated approach in managing the country's borders.

"One reason why we saw that activity in Doklam last year was not because they (China) had a clear military option or superiority but they had the political goal of splitting us from the Bhutanese," he said at a conference here.

India and Bhutan have close ties and New Delhi has been providing military support to the country.

He said China wanted to "show the Bhutanese that India could not defend their security and also to arouse Bhutanese opinion (on it). I am glad we chose to react the way we did."

Menon had also served as India's foreign secretary from October 2006 to August 2009.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed tri-junction by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off ended on August 28.

As a close friend and neighbour, Bhutan enjoys diplomatic and military support from India.

Delving into various aspects of border management, Menon said the armed forces must take the people of the border areas of the north-eastern states into confidence on such issues.

TOP COMMENT

Mr. Sivshankar, thanks for your honest opinion. Will you please educate Mr. Pappu so that he does not keep talking nonsense over Dokalam.kamath Neil

It is important to carry the people with you, he said.

The conference on 'Bridging gaps and securing borders' in the northeast was attended by the top brass of the defence forces including Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba.

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NSA Ajit Doval in Bhutan

Army Chief Bipin Rawat and NSA Ajit Doval Made Hush-Hush Bhutan Visit to Review Doklam Strategy

The visit by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was the first such high-level trip from India to Bhutan after the Doklam standoff and it was kept under wraps by the Bhutanese and Indian sides.

PTI

Updated:February 18, 2018, 8:53 PM IST

The Bhutanese side apprised the Indians about the status of boundary talks between Bhutan and China and emphasised that Thimphu wants peace in the Doklam tri-junction. (File photo)

New Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval quietly travelled to Bhutan earlier this month on a rare visit during which they held extensive talks with the top brass of the Bhutanese leadership on strategic issues including the situation in Doklam, authoritative government sources said.

The sources told PTI that the two sides reviewed bilateral security and defence cooperation issues with a focus on China's increasing military posturing and infrastructure development in the key Doklam plateau.

The visit took place between February 6 and 7 and "positive" outcomes emerged from the meetings between the key Indian officials and the Bhutanese government, they said.

The visit by Gen. Rawat, Doval and Gokhale was the first such high-level trip from India to Bhutan after the Doklam standoff and it was kept under wraps by the Bhutanese and Indian sides.

The visit came three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay on the sidelines of an investors' summit in Guwahati.

The sources said the Bhutanese side apprised the Indians about the status of boundary talks between Bhutan and China and emphasised that Thimphu wants peace in the Doklam tri-junction.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed Doklam tri-junction by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off ended on August 28.

China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area. India argues that since it is a tri-junction involving the three countries, it also has a say in the issue, especially in the backdrop of a 2012 agreement between special representatives of the two countries, that have till now held 20 rounds of talks.

Bhutan has no diplomatic ties with China. As a close friend and neighbour, Bhutan enjoys diplomatic and military support from India.

The sources said several other key officials of the Army and the Ministry of External Affairs were also a part of the visit. Asked about the foreign secretary's visit, a diplomatic source called it "routine".

This was Gen. Rawat's second visit to Bhutan in the last nine months. Gen. Rawat has been calling for adequate focus by India on its nearly 4,000 km-long border with China. Last month, he had said the time had come for the country to shift its focus from the western to the northern frontier.

Army sources said China has been keeping its troops in north Doklam and significantly ramping up its infrastructure in the area.

The Indian Army has also been strengthening its troop level in certain key sectors along the Sino-India border besides enhancing border infrastructure.

Previously, Rawat had visited Bhutan in April last year while then Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had visited the neighbouring country in October last. In November last, the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, had visited India.

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