Army chief Bipin Rawat, NSA made secret visit to Bhutan, discussed China and Doklam issue
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a secret meeting with Bhutan officials on February 6 and 7. (File Photo)
NEW DELHI:
In a first such trip of a high-level Indian delegation to Bhutan post the Doklam standoff, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a secret meeting with officials of the neighbouring country regarding the increasing flexing of China’s military muscle at the eastern border. PTI quoted sources as saying that security and Chinese infrastructure building on the Doklam plateau was also discussed during the meeting held on February 6 and 7. The meeting comes after media reports cited satellite images as showing construction of a Chinese military complex near the Doklam area.
The visit was not made public even though sources said “positive” outcomes emerged from the meeting. The Bhutan officials made clear their demand for peace in the Doklam tri-junction and apprised the Indians about the status of boundary talks between Thimpu and Beijing. China and Bhutan are engaged in talks over the resolution of the dispute in the area.
Credits: indianexpress.com