Analysis: Chinese construction on Bhutanese soil, why is India worried?
India-China relations have been strained since the 2020 clashes in the Gulwan Valley
Evidence of Chinese construction on Bhutan's mainland has India concerned.
Areas where images of Chinese architecture have surfaced are close to the strategically important Doklam area. India believes that China is trying to strengthen its claim to these areas.
Satellite imagery from the Twitter handle Detresfa (res), which conducts research on the Chinese military, shows that China is building near Doklam in 2020-21.
China has a 22,457 km long border with 14 countries but has border disputes only with India and Bhutan.
India is very worried about Chinese construction in these areas as they are close to Doklam. This is the area where tensions between India and China erupted in 2017.
Against India's strategic interests
India-China relations have been strained since the 2020 clashes in the Gulwan Valley. Four Chinese and 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the clash.
Bhutan is a buffer state between India and China.
Bhutan has a 477 km long border with China. Bhutan is also important to India because it is India's shield in the area where India's Siliguri Corridor is described by defense experts as a chicken neck. The Siliguri corridor is 60 km long and 22 km wide.
Because it provides an important route to India's northeastern states and if China comes close to the Siliguri corridor, it will be of great concern to India.
Analysts Jajati Patnaik and Chandan Pandya wrote in an article published in Outlook Magazine that China's actions in the Doklam area pose a serious threat to India's interests in the region.
India's opposition party, the Congress, has also taken note of China's actions.
"Chinese construction on Bhutanese soil is a source of concern for India because India not only consults Bhutan in foreign affairs but also trains its forces," said Congress party spokesman Gaurav Vallabh.
India concerned over Sino-Bhutanese agreement on border disputes
China and Bhutan signed an agreement on October 14 to resolve border disputes. Negotiations on border issues between China and Bhutan have been going on since 1984.
India had reacted cautiously to the China-Bhutan deal, saying it had taken notice.
China and Bhutan do not have direct diplomatic relations and have contacts through their embassies in New Delhi. Bhutan has not disclosed its written agreement with China.
Defense analyst Col. Denveer Singh raised the question: "Is this part of a Bhutan-China border agreement?" In fact, we should be worried about it. "
One thing that has caught India's attention during the ongoing tensions between China and India is that the agreement comes four years after 73 days of tensions between Indian and Chinese forces over Doklam.
India is watching the deal closely because China sought to annex this important region in 2017 in terms of Bhutan's war strategy, according to a pro-Indian newspaper, Danak Jagran.
Tensions in Doklam began when China tried to build a road in an area that Bhutan claims to be part of.
However, the Global Times, a Chinese state-run newspaper, wrote in its October 15 editorial that India was showing its narrow-mindedness by pointing fingers at the agreement reached between the two independent countries. The Global Times wrote that the Indian response showed that it was undermining the sovereignty of a small and fragile country.
But because of Bhutan's importance to India, India will need to take a closer look at Sino-Bhutanese relations.
The Hindustan Times wrote that Bhutan is very important for India's national security as it is close to the Siliguri corridor and any such agreement could affect India's defense in the region.
China's border laws are a deliberate process
China recently passed a national law detailing the security and safety of the 22,000-kilometer-long border with China's 14 neighbors.
The National People's Congress, China's highest legislative body, passed the first national law on October 23, effective January 1, 2022.
In its strong response to the law, India had said that it hoped that China would not take any step under this "unilateral" law which would unilaterally change the situation on the India-China border.
According to analyst Enerbhomak, China's law is an expression of its commitment to the countries with which it has border issues He wants to continue them and resolve border disputes with India and Bhutan on his own terms.
The timing of the passage of this law is very important. This law has been passed at a time when border disputes between India and China are being discussed.
The Indian Express quoted an army officer as saying: You are actually sending a message. Now that they have legislated, how will it be in line with tomorrow's agreement? "
However, Chinese analyst Quan Xiaoliun told the Global Times that India was pushing the issue arbitrarily.
Compromise on India's security
India is justified by the Sino-Bhutanese agreement on Chinese construction on Bhutanese territory and the settlement of border disputes.
India believes that Chinese construction on Bhutanese soil and tensions in Arunachal Pradesh, which China considers its territory, affect its security.
In their analysis, Jajati Patnaik and Chandan Panda said: "With the help of Bhutan, China wants to occupy strategic areas near Doklam and divert its military power towards the Siliguri Corridor, causing concern to India."
It is very clear that China wants to make India's relations with Bhutan difficult.
Following the signing of the agreement between China and Bhutan in October this year, an analysis by Chinese experts in the Global Times revealed that the agreement shows that Bhutan wants to resolve its border issues independently and rejects India's claim of Chinese threat. Also rejects.
At a time when China is quietly increasing its influence in Bhutan, India can help its ally Bhutan by providing military assistance.
According to analyst Charo Sadhan Kasturi: "India can help Bhutan to negotiate with China at a stronger level.