India will surely lose if it engages with China militarily, warns Chinese daily on Dokalam row

Chinese media on Friday said that military conflicts will escalate if India refuses to withdraw troops from Dokalam.

India will surely lose if it engages with China militarily, warns Chinese daily on Dokalam row

New Delhi: In the wake of an Army face-off and chill in ties with India over Dokalam stand-off, Chinese media on Friday said that military conflicts will escalate if New Delhi refuses to withdraw troops.

While hitting out at External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for stating that India's position is not wrong on the Bhutan tri-junction and all nations are with it,” China's Global Times said, “No other country will support India's aggression adding that “India's military strength is far behind that of China.”

“If the conflict between China and India escalates to the intensity where their row has to be resolved through military means, India will surely lose,” the article read.

"India should abandon the fantasy of a long-term standoff at Doklam. China will by no means agree to the withdrawal of troops from both sides in order for talks to be held. Doklam is Chinese territory. The withdrawal of Indian troops must be a precondition for talks and China will not compromise on this stance," the Chinese daily further reported.

The Chinese media outlets have repeatedly issued provoking statements, ever since the two Asian giants got engaged in the standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction since last month after a Chinese Army's construction party attempted to build a road. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Amid the ongoing over month-long military stand-off at Doklam in the Sikkim sector, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will visit Beijing to attend the BRICS NSA's meeting on July 27-28.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged that China has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and equipment into Tibet. The People's Liberation Army also conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet. The same was confirmed by the daily. 

The article stated: "India should have heard about the news that the PLA has deployed troops near the China-India border and transported materials and supplies to the area. The PLA is also reportedly conducting drills for mountain operations. These are certainly not for show. Now that the PLA has moved in on the China-India border, they will definitely not call back troops unless they recover the Chinese territory."  

India has said Beijing's action to "unilaterally determine tri-junction points" violated a 2012 India-China pact which says the boundary would be decided by consulting all the concerned parties.

The Indian Army is ready for a long haul in holding onto its position in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric against India demanding pulling back of its troops.

The Indian soldiers deployed in the disputed area have pitched in tents, in an indication that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China's PLA personnel in ending the face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section.

A steady line of supplies is being maintained for the soldiers at the site, official sources said, signalling that Indian Army is not going to wilt under any pressure from China.