Doval’s visit key to ease Sikkim standoff: Chinese analyst

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s visit to Beijing for a meeting of NSAs from BRICS countries may be key to ease tensions between India and China over the military standoff in Dokalam, a Chinese analyst said. Doval is scheduled to visit China for the meeting on July 27-28.

The meeting is hosted by his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi. It is part of a series of meetings of officials from BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – ahead of this year’s summit of the five-member bloc of emerging countries in Xiamen city in September.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the summit. Ma Jiali, a research fellow at the China Reform Forum thinktank, said Doval’s visit may be key and would serve as an opportunity to ease India-China tensions.

His comments came in a piece of the Communist Party media group, which generally reflects the views of the ruling party, today. The tabloid has unleashed a barrage of anti-India rhetoric in recent weeks amid tensions between the two countries.

Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off in Dokalam area in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Indian ally Bhutan for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.