NEW DELHI: General Upendra Dwivedi is now on a four-day trip to Bhutan to further enhance the already close bilateral military ties, which come at a time when China continues to strengthen its military infrastructure in the Doklam plateau that saw a 73-day face-off between the Indian and Chinese armies in 2017.The Army chief will call on Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and hold wide-ranging talks with Lt General Batoo Tshering, the chief operations officer of the Royal Bhutan Army, during the visit.Gen. Dwivedi will also interact with senior officials of the Indian embassy, the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) stationed in the country, and Project Dantak of the Border Roads Organisation, which is engaged in the construction of roads and other developmental work there.“The visit reflects the deep-rooted and time-tested ties between India and Bhutan and reaffirms India’s commitment to a close and trusted partner,” Army spokesperson Colonel Nishant Arvind said.India has been keeping a close watch on the series of border talks between Bhutan and an expansionist China in a bid to resolve their territorial disputes, which include the Doklam plateau in the west and the Jakarlung and Pasamlung valleys in the north.Ever since India’s military confrontation with China erupted in April 2020, after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) made multiple incursions into eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army has also been shoring up defenses in the strategically vulnerable Siliguri Corridor, or `Chicken’s Neck,’ the narrow strip of land in north Bengal that connects the northeast with the rest of India.The PLA has steadily stepped up its activities and infrastructure development in the Bhutanese territory of Doklam near the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction, which witnessed the 73-day face-off between the rival troops in 2017.Indian troops had then blocked PLA attempts to extend their motorable track towards the Jampheri Ridge, which overlooks the Siliguri Corridor. After the disengagement, the PLA has constructed a lot of military infrastructure and permanently deployed troops in north Doklam, as reported by TOI earlier.
