Doklam standoff, Big Diplomatic Win For India, China agree to end border standoff

India and China have agreed to an “expeditious disengagement” of troops in a disputed border area near doklam where their soldiers have been locked in a stand-off for more than two months, India’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

“In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam. During these communications, we were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests,” the ministry’s statement added.

MEA Press Statement on Doklam Disengagement Understanding pic.twitter.com/fVo4N0eaf8

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) August 28, 2017

The decision comes ahead of a summit of the BRICS nations – a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa – in China next month, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend.

Indian and Chinese troops have been confronting each other at the Doklam plateau near the borders of India, its ally Bhutan and China, in the most serious and prolonged standoff in decades along their disputed Himalayan border.

The Indian ministry said the two sides had agreed to defuse the crisis following diplomatic talks.

“In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam,” the ministry said in a statement.

“On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is on-going,” it said in a statement.

India-China relations

The bilateral relations between India and China also necessitate an urgent settlement of the row because both countries have a lot at stake. As two of the most prominent economies of the world, India and China need to work together to improve their mutual trade and also give leadership to the world in matters related to climate change following the withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate pact. India also needs to engage with China through its world-known soft power to influence its people and culture instead of comparing things more in terms of politics and military might.

India and China are frenemies rather than enemies despite the fact that China invariably supports Pakistan over India (that’s more of a strategy) and the powerful leaders of the two countries – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping – know how important it is to engage with each other instead of preparing for a showdown