International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 Doklam Dispute: A Threat to South Asian Security Dr. Braham Parkash Associate Professor Department of Political Science C.R. Kisan College, Jind (HR.) Abstract: Today Doklam dispute has been acknowledged as a major controversy between India and China. In June 2017 it became a critical issue between the armed forces and China. When China made an attempt to make a road from Yadong further Southward on the Doklam Plateau, India opposed it and Bhutan also supported India’s step. Unlike China and Bhutan, India does not have a claim on Docklam; however, India supports Bhutan on friendly grounds. On 18th June 2017 Indian troops apparently crossed into the territory in dispute between China and Bhutan in an attempt to prevent the road construction. It raised critical situation for China and it opposed India’s effort to stop her constructing road infrastructure in the Docklam region. Nevertheless, we can’t ignore the fact that India is right and it is very essential for her security and peace in South Asian region. However, very recently both the countries have reached on a solution and both of them have decided to retreat their troops from the disputed region. The present research paper highlights some security imperatives for India regarding the Docklam region. Keywords: Chumbi Valley, Docklam 18th century Sikkim faced repeated Plateau, Siliguri Corridor, Border raids from Bhutan and these areas Dispute. often change hand. Therefore, after a Bhutanese attack in 1780 a Introduction: When the Kingdom of settlement was reached which Sikkim was founded in 1642, it resulted in the transfer of the Haa included all the areas surrounding valley and the Kalimpong area to the Docklam Plateau. During the Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 1 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 Bhutan. The Docklam Plateau and its borders were not sandwiched between these regions demarcated until 1961. It is also was likely to be part of the both said that the China cites maps from territories. After the Sino-Nepalese before 1912 to stake its claim over war of 1792 China helped Tibet and Doklam. But India has always it proved to be a decisive entry of supported Bhutanese sovereignty China into the Himalayan region. and very recently this support has The victorious Chinese general resulted a controversial issue ordered a land survey in which between China and India. Chumbi valley was declare as a part The fact is that from very of Tibet. Then in the following years beginning of 1958 China started to Sikkim established its relations with show Docklam as the part of her the British East India Company. territory which created critical However, Sikkim retained loyalties situation in South Asian region. to Tibet and in 1890 they sought to Furthermore, in 1960, China issued exclude the Tibetan from the Sikkim a statement claiming that Bhutan, by establishing a treaty with the Sikkim and Ladakh were part of a China. In 1904 the British unified family in Tibet and had Government signed another treaty always been subject to the Great with Tibet and the boundary was Mother Land of China that is why established between Sikkim and Bhutan closed off all trade and Tibet in the treaty still remains diplomatic relations with China and same. In this way Bhutan became a it established a formal defence protected state in 1910 and it agreement with India. From August continued by Independent India in 1965 India and China traded 1949. However, Bhutan retained its accusations regarding intrusions independence in all internal matters Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 2 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 into Docklam. Now China alleged been under Chinese jurisdiction. that Indian troops crossing into Bhutan requested India to raise the Docklam and were carrying out matter with China; but China reconnaissance and intimidating rejected India’s efforts regarding Chinese herders. However, India the Docklam region. However, in paid no attention to Chinese later days China withdrew her complaint and after all several troops from the Docklam area and round of exchanges on 30th Sept. Bhutan came very closer to India, 1966 were forwarded as a protest after this India appointed 3400 from the Bhutanese Government Indian defence personnel in Bhutan which stated that Tibetan grazers for training the Bhutanese Army. were entering the pasture near the Furthermore, border Docklam Plateau accompanied by negotiations between Bhutan and the Chinese petrol. It was also said China began in 1972 with India that Docklam area was to the south playing a supportive role. However, of the traditional boundary China sought the exclusion of India between Bhutan and Tibet in the and Bhutan declared that it was her Southern Chumbi area. Now on 3rd right to negotiate with China. October 1966 the Govt. of Bhutan Regarding the fact in view Bhutan issued a press statement that reduced 1128 km of disputed Docklam belongs to Bhutan on border area to 269 sq. km. by the traditional basis including its natural end of 1999 with China. Bhutan feature. In response China also apparently ceded the Kula Kangri stated that Bhutan was a sovereign mountain peak to China and the country and India has no need to China offered a package deal to interfere in its matter. China also Bhutan in 1996 offering to give up asserted that this area has always Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 3 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 claims on 495 sq. km. in the Central unmanned Indian forward costs in region in exchange for 269 sq. km. the Docklam region. in the north-west including The dispute of Docklam Docklam, Sinchulumpa Dramana, became more critical when China and Shakhatoe, all adjoining the claimed the Docklam region based Chumbi valley – areas that would on the Anglo-Chinese convention of offer a strategic death to Chinese 1890, negotiated between the defensive and excess to the British Empire in India and the strategic Siliguri corridor of India. Chinese royal mission. According to Now having turned down China’s the treaty the representatives of package deal in 2000, Bhutanese Sikkim and Tibet were part of these government put forward its real negotiations; but records show that claim line of 1989 and there was no they were not present during the progress afterward. Further the negotiations in Calcutta. Moreover, government of Bhutan reported the boundary of Sikkim and Tibet that China has started constructing shall have to remain as the crest of road in Border areas in 2004 which the mountain range separating the is against the peace and tranquility waters flowing in to the Sikkim agreement between the two. Teesta and its affluent from the However, most of the area belongs water flowing in to the Tibetan to Docklam region and China Mochu and northwards into other claimed that it was no issue of rivers of Tibet. The Diplomat has dispute as she was constructing commented that the continuous road in Sinchela pass region. In mountain crest mentioned in the 2007, there were reports of the treaty begins from very near to Chinese having destroyed Batang La on the Northern ridge of Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 4 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 the Docklam Plateau and it suggests armed forces of India and China a contradiction between the first following an attempt by China to and second sentence of the first construct a road from Yodang article of the treaty because Batang further Southward on the Docklam La is depicted and claimed as the tri- Plateau, however, India does not junction point by Bhutan and India. have a claim on the region, nevertheless, it supports Bhutan’s Moreover, Bhutan and China sovereignty. According to the Govt have held 24 rounds of boundary of Bhutan, China has attempted to task since 1984 and the extend a road that previously Government of Bhutan states that terminated at Doka La towards the the present road construction in the Bhutan army camp at Zopelri near Docklam area accounts to unilateral the Jampheri ridge two km to the change to a disputed boundary by south; that ridge may be viewed as China in violation to the 1988 and the disputed area including China’s 1998 agreements between Bhutan interference in India’s highly and China. This agreement prohibits strategic Siliguri Corridor project. any use of force and bounds both On 18th June Indian troops cross the countries to follow the path of into the territory in dispute peaceful means. The agreement between Bhutan and China to also states that both the countries prevent the road construction on shall refrain from taking unilateral the strategic point of view. India actions and any change to the charged that China has violated the status quo of the boundary shall not peace treaty between Bhutan and remain into action. China by constructing roads in In June 2017 Docklam Docklam. She also criticized China’s became a war fare site between the effort to cross the border illegally, Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 5 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017 while china has also criticized India press statement released on 1st on the same ground.