As tensions continued to mount between neighbours India and China, with state-run newspapers running the rhetoric to full gear amid the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam region near the Bhutan tri-junction, Indian troops are settling in for the long haul with tents, supplies and personnel. The move is expected to signal the Indian intent of reciprocity only if the Chinese troops pull back from the disputed area. The crisis is unfolding at a height of 10,000 feet in the Sikkim region. While the diplomatic channels have been abuzz with efforts to calm things down between the two nuclear-armed nations, PM Modi did not raise the issue with his counterpart Xi Jinping at the recently concluded G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Previous skirmishes at the the contentious LAC have been resolved through the diplomatic mechanism, and while both sides are hopeful of a peaceful solution, the steady stream of supplied to the forward posts is an indication that both sides are planning for the worst. The stand-off started when Chinese troops attempted to construct a road in the strategically crucial area, and has now entering its third week. India has protested this, citing serious security implications and contending that as a third country in the tri-junction area, it should have a say in the matter. China is already in talks with Bhutan over this issue, especially after the full 19 rounds of talks between the special representatives of the neighbours that have sought to resolve disputes like these amicably.
India shares a total of 3488 km of boundary with China, of which about 220 km fall in the Sikkim sector. The extensive build-up of infrastructure on the Chinese side has given cause to worry for the Indian side, and most modernisation of the Indian military and border infrastructure has been aimed at containing the looming threat posed by China.
