Lessons from Doklam: Indian troops increase patrolling at India, China and Myanmar tri-junction

Representational image - Pic courtesy: Twitter/@easterncomd (Unit of AR and Infantry Regiment of Myanmar Army undertook coordinated foot patrol along the IMB from 14-16 March, 2018)

Walong: Indian troops deployed along the Sino-India border in the Himalayan range of the Arunachal sector have increased their patrolling at a tri-junction of India, China and Myanmar.

PTI quoted top Army officials as saying that the tri-junction is extremely important for India to help it maintain its dominance in the nearby mountain passes and other areas.

"After the Doklam standoff, we have increased our presence on India's side of the tri-junction as it is very important for us from the strategic dimension," a senior Army official said.

He added that Chinese troops did not enter the tri-junction too frequently but had developed a road infrastructure near the area which could be advantageous for the mobilisation of Army personnel. "After the tri-junction in Doklam in the Sikkim sector, this is the most important tri-junction along the Sino-India border," the officer was further quoted as saying by the news agency.

The tri-junction is located around 50 km from Walong and is the easternmost town of India.

Meanwhile, right across the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh, a cluster of fresh Chinese infrastructure has been observed. which includes a new camp for People's Liberation Army (PLA) along with several houses.

The new constructions have come up in Tatu, which lies on the other side of Kibithu town in Arunachal's Anjaw district. Kibithu is one of the five Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and China's PLA.

A Chinese telecommunications tower and observation post with surveillance equipment were also observed, reported news agency ANI.

#Chinese infrastructure, including new People's Liberation Army (#PLA) camp & houses in #Tatu, on the other side of #ArunachalPradesh's Kibithu. pic.twitter.com/ncTuGWa25p — ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2018

#Chinese telecommunications tower and observation post with surveillance equipment, a part of their infrastructure in #Tatu, which is on the other side of #ArunachalPradesh's Kibithu. pic.twitter.com/I0PAmh0ZHo — ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2018

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 16, 2017, after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the area by the Chinese Army. The face-off had ended on August 28, 2017.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said on March 25, 2018, that India was "alert" and ready to deal with any "unforeseen situation" in Doklam. She had also said that the government was constantly working towards modernisation of forces.

"We are alert and ready for any unforeseen situation in Doklam. We are constantly working towards the modernisation of our forces. We will maintain our territorial integrity," she had told reporters in Dehradun on the sidelines of a function to honour families of distinguished Armymen, war widows and veterans, as per PTI.

Earlier on March 5, 2018, Sitharaman had said that Indian and Chinese troops had "redeployed" themselves away from the face-off site in Doklam and China had undertaken construction of helipads, sentry posts and trenches for its Army personnel there.

And, in January 2018, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had said the time had come for India to shift its focus from borders with Pakistan to the frontier with China.

(With Agency inputs)