Doklam Faceoff: No escalation, standoff will be resolved diplomatically, Jaishankar tells House panel

In a detailed presentation to the panel on Tuesday, sources said, Jaishankar stressed that there was “no inconsistency” in the government’s stand on China, and that it had been the same for 70 years

S Jaishankar

After briefing Opposition leaders twice on the standoff with China at the border trijunction with Bhutan, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is learnt to have told a Parliamentary panel that there is a “standoff but not escalation” and it is being resolved through diplomacy. In a detailed presentation to the panel on Tuesday, sources said, Jaishankar stressed that there was “no inconsistency” in the government’s stand on China, and that it had been the same for 70 years. Panel members posed questions about the reasons for the escalation of tension with China despite the “friendship” between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. A member asked whether it was due to the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh or India’s growing relationship with the US and Japan.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have asked whether China was trying to impress upon Bhutan that India cannot take care of its interests. He reportedly asked why there was a change in stance of many countries that had been friendly with India. There was also a mention of Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to China in 1988. Jaishankar said that all successive governments had made efforts to improve ties with China after 1988. There was a question on why friendly countries like Russia, Turkey, Iran were speaking in a somewhat different language on Kashmir. Why is Chinese influence rising in countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka, CPM’s Mohammed Salim is said to have asked.

Jaishankar is learnt to have said that in the “changing world”, China was trying to spread its influence but India was doing everything to protect its interests. He is learnt to have said that while both countries stick to their positions, the situation is not as volatile as is being projected. A source quoted Jaishankar as having said that “in diplomacy, there is an approach; take a deep breath, stop and re-engage.” He suggested that the government was applying this approach in the current situation with China. He made these remarks when his attention was drawn to reports projecting a war-like situation with China. Jaishankar, however, acknowledged that unlike in the past, China was articulating its position more aggressively. Congress member Karan Singh asked why India does not brief foreign diplomats like China did. Jaishankar indicated that it is because India is not keen on involving other countries. The sensitivities of Bhutan also have to be taken into account, he added.

A BJP member mentioned the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal, to which Jaishankar said that the Tibetan spiritual leader has visited earlier too. TMC’s Sugata Bose asked whether India’s absence from China’s Belt and Road summit had provoked China, to which Jaishankar said that India takes such decisions keeping its interests in mind. “Very thorough and enriching discussion… We were 20 members and 11 of them asked questions… Members from a cross-section of parties were satisfied with a very recent and thorough discussion,” panel chairman Shashi Tharoor said. An Opposition member said that the overall impression from the meeting was that the government was not looking at resolving the issue militarily but through diplomacy, which is also the view of the Opposition.

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