Tensions between India and China continued to remain tense after Chinese border troops prevented Indian pilgrims from travelling to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass. China has alleged that Indian border troops had crossed the border into China and that no trips will take place until the troops were withdrawn.
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Indian officials, however, stated that Indian troops had moved into the area following objections to Chinese construction activity in Doklam, which is close to the borders of both India and Bhutan. According to the Bhutanese Ambassador to India, Vetsop Namgyel, the Chinese Army had had started construction of a road towards a Bhutanese Army camp at Zomphlri in Doklam area.
A concerned Bhutanese government, through its embassy in New Delhi, handed over a strongly-worded demarche to China’s Ambassador to India, Luo Zhaohui, to ask Beijing to order its troops to cease construction activity immediately, withdraw from the area and refrain from changing the status quo.
In light of the escalating tensions at the border with China, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat arrived in Gangtok, Sikkim. The Army chief will also be conducting a review of the operational functioning in Northeast India where India shares a significant portion of its 3,488 km border with China.