ISAS Insights

The prolonged military stand-off between India and China, with no exchange of fire to-date, on the Doklam plateau in the Himalayan range, which Bhutan has portrayed as its territory, has strategic implications for each of these three neighbours. China is bracing to expand its strategic space in the high Himalayas by seeking to build roads in Doklam (also known as Dong Lang) which Beijing considers to be its historical sovereign territory. China says that India was notified in advance about the road construction, meant for “improving local transportation”, “grazing by livestock” and “border troops’ patrolling”.2 However, New Delhi views the Chinese activities and statements as a matter of “serious security implications for India”, particularly for “the determination of the tri-junction boundary point between