July 31, 2017

The China-India border standoff has been going on for almost two months. China has made it clear that India's withdrawal from the Doklam area is the precondition for talks, a justified and legitimate demand. But India has refused to pull back its troops. The longer the standoff, the more disadvantageous India's position will be.

Perhaps aware of its illegal incursion, India has begun to find ways to save face. Oneindia, an Indian news site, claimed Saturday that India would withdraw if its troops are replaced by Bhutanese troops, citing "a highly placed source." Since India is Bhutan's protector, India's withdrawal would mean stabbing Bhutan in the back and abandoning its ally, the report said.

However, Doklam is a border area between China and Bhutan and has nothing to do with India. It is India that crossed into the indisputable Chinese territory and stirred the current face-off. India appears to be confronting China for the sake of Bhutan, but New Delhi does not care about its Himalayan neighbor. It's all about India's strategic calculation.

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