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India-China border imbroglio: Chinese state media says If India can intervene in Bhutan, China can do the same in Kashmir

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9 years ago

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India China Troops

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]~By Rajesh Sinha

The supposed bonhomie between India and China, speculated upon after the Modi-Jinping mutually congratulatory speeches at Hamburg, evaporated fast.

After India claimed the two leaders discussed “a range of issues”, China on Monday said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “no bilateral meeting” on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg and that withdrawal of troops by India from Doklam was a pre-condition for any meaningful dialogue between the two sides.

Along with this came a bluntly aggressive piece in China’s state-controlled media from an analyst at Chinese think tank, bringing in Kashmir into the picture to say a “third country’s” army could enter Kashmir at Pakistan’s request, using the “same logic” the Indian Army used to stop the Chinese military from constructing a road in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector on behalf of Bhutan.

Such statements erased any notions about emerging signs of easing of tension between India and China. On Saturday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay had talked about Modi and Jinping discussing a “range of issues” but refused to elaborate on it. “We have tweeted that the two leaders discussed a range of issues. A range of issues means a range of issues. I don’t want to add anything further… I leave it to you to draw your conclusion,” Baglay said.

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang, when asked about the issue discussed between the two, said, “According to my information, the two said leaders did not hold any bilateral meeting.” He said Jinping chaired an informal meet of BRICS leaders and Modi was among them. He said the withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam was the pre-condition for any meaningful dialogue between the two countries.

In the article in Global Times, Long Xingchun, Director at the Centre for Indian Studies at China West Normal University, said that a third country’s troops could enter Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of Pakistan like India did in the Doklam region. He said that this move would be justified as it would be on the lines of the “same logic” that the Indian Army has been using to halt China’s road construction project at the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction.

“Even if India were requested to defend Bhutan’s territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area,” said Xingchun. “Otherwise, under India’s logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third country’s army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir,” the article said.

Elsewhere, the Global Times quoted Lin Mingwang from the Institute of International Studies at Shanghai’s Fudan University as saying that “China has nothing to do with the situation in Kashmir, but it would be unwise for India to engage in two conflicts at the same time”.

China has already been constructing roads and building infrastructure in Pakistan occupied Kashmir for years, despite acknowledging it as a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.

Xingchun also said that China could draw international attention over the Doklam controversy and the western nations would not support India without conditions as the West has a wide range of common interests with China. The editorial also said that the other countries know that China “will never resort to force till it is the last choice”.

Apart from saying that this time China must teach India “a bitter lesson”, another editorial in the Global Times also raised the Sikkim independence spectre and said that China may support Sikkim’s appeal for independence.

This is not the first time that China has threatened to interfere in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chinese media has made a similar statement when Dalai Lama had visited Arunachal Pradesh in April 2017.

“New Delhi not only allowed the 14th Dalai Lama to visit Southern Tibet, a historical Chinese territory India has illicitly occupied and refers to as ‘Arunachal Pradesh’, but the spiritual leader of ‘Tibetan independence’ was also escorted on the trip by India’s junior minister of home affairs,” the state-run China Daily said in its editorial.

The Chinese media had accused India of using Dalai Lama “as a diplomatic tool to put pressure on China” and said that Beijing could interfere in “turbulent” Kashmir.

The Chinese state media have carried a barrage of critical articles on the Doklam standoff criticising India, but this was the first time Pakistan and Kashmir were brought into the narrative. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Doklam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Doklam area near the Bhutan tri-junction for the past three weeks after a Chinese Army’s construction party attempted to build a road.

The Indian Army has said it is ready for a long haul in holding onto its position. The Indian soldiers deployed in Doka La 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, PTI quoted official sources as saying.

PTI reported that the officials sounded confident of finding a diplomatic solution to the dispute. Both the countries had agreed to a mechanism in 2012 to resolve border flare ups through consultations at various levels. The mechanism has not worked so far in the current case as the standoff near the Bhutan trijunction, triggered by China’s attempt to build a road in the strategically important area, has dragged on for over three weeks.

India has already conveyed to China that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India. The road link could give China a major military advantage over India.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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PM Modi to inaugurate Rs 169-crore RBI data centre in Odisha on October 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Odisha on October 25 to inaugurate the Reserve Bank of India’s Rs. 169-crore data centre in Jatni, near Bhubaneswar.

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10 mins ago

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October 23, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Odisha on October 25 to inaugurate the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Rs. 169-crore data centre at Info Valley-II in Jatni, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

According to the tentative itinerary shared by the Odisha Chief Secretary’s office, the Prime Minister is expected to arrive at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar at around 4:30 pm aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft. He will then travel by helicopter to the Khurda helipad before proceeding by road to the RBI facility for the inauguration.

The Prime Minister is likely to spend around an hour at the facility before returning to Bhubaneswar and departing from the state at approximately 6:30 pm.

RBI data centre to strengthen financial infrastructure

Spread across 18.55 acres, the new data centre is designed to strengthen the RBI’s data management, disaster recovery, cybersecurity and business continuity capabilities.

The facility will support critical central banking functions, including currency management, payment and settlement systems, and regulatory operations. It is also expected to serve as a backup to the RBI’s existing data centre in Navi Mumbai.

The new facility will be the RBI’s second data centre of this kind, following its existing centre in Navi Mumbai.

Why the data centre is located in Jatni

The site at Info Valley-II was selected for its geographical stability. According to an official, its location away from seismically active zones and high-risk international border areas is intended to reduce exposure to natural disasters and geopolitical vulnerabilities.

The project is intended to help maintain the continuity of essential RBI operations while strengthening the security and resilience of India’s financial infrastructure.

The foundation stone for the facility was laid by then RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on March 22, 2023.

PM Modi’s ninth Odisha visit since 2024

The October 25 programme is expected to be Prime Minister Modi’s ninth visit to Odisha since the BJP government was formed in the state in 2024, according to Odisha BJP vice-president Jatin Mohanty.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Chief Secretary Anu Garg have reviewed preparations for the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit.

The inauguration is part of efforts to strengthen Odisha’s digital infrastructure. The project is also expected to support the state’s ambitions in technology and electronics manufacturing, as stated by the BJP leader.

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Om Prakash Mathur sworn in as Keralam Governor

Om Prakash Mathur was sworn in as Keralam Governor on Friday. Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the oath at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.

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37 mins ago

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October 23, 2026

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Om Prakash Mathur, a veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Governor of Sikkim, was sworn in as the Governor of Keralam on Friday, October 23. The oath-taking ceremony was held at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, where Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the oath of office.

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan and members of his Cabinet attended the ceremony, along with leaders from various political parties. However, leaders of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the state’s key opposition alliance, did not participate in the event, according to the report.

Before the oath was administered, the appointment order issued by President Droupadi Murmu was read out. Mathur took the oath in Hindi and formally assumed office. The ceremony concluded with the national song Vande Mataram and the national anthem being played by the band.

Who is Om Prakash Mathur?

Mathur hails from Bedal village in the Bali tehsil of Rajasthan’s Pali district. He graduated from Rajasthan University and entered public life as a pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

During his political career, Mathur served as the BJP’s national general secretary in charge of Gujarat and represented Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha. He was appointed Governor of Sikkim in July 2024 before being named to the Keralam post in the latest gubernatorial reshuffle.

Mathur succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar

Mathur replaces Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who has been appointed Governor of Tamil Nadu. President Droupadi Murmu announced the gubernatorial appointments on October 12, with the changes taking effect as the appointees assumed charge of their respective offices.

The change comes against the backdrop of disputes between successive Kerala governments and governors over university administration. The governor also serves as the chancellor of the state’s universities, with responsibilities related to their administration.

Previous disagreements over the appointment of vice-chancellors and other senior university officials had led to legal proceedings. Both the LDF and the United Democratic Front (UDF) have raised objections to appointments they alleged involved individuals associated with the BJP and RSS.

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Two election commissioners complained against senior poll officer, RTI reveals

An RTI response has shed light on complaints by two Election Commissioners against a senior poll panel officer and the Cabinet Secretariat’s decision not to intervene directly.

Published

11 hours ago

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October 23, 2026

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An RTI response has brought fresh details to light about complaints submitted by two Election Commissioners against a senior official of the Election Commission of India (ECI), including the Cabinet Secretariat’s decision not to intervene directly in the matter.

Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi wrote separate letters to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan on July 29, 2026, raising concerns about the working of Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg.

The complaints followed an order concerning the allocation of responsibilities among senior officers in the poll panel. The Cabinet Secretariat subsequently acknowledged the communications and shared them with relevant offices, while noting that direct action could be inappropriate without an official communication from the Commission as a whole.

Why the two Election Commissioners raised concerns

The dispute centred on a work-allocation order issued on July 28, when Garg took temporary charge as the link officer for the Deputy Election Commissioner handling administration, who was on leave.

According to the complaints, Garg issued an order reallocating responsibilities among senior and equivalent-ranking officers without discussing the changes with the Commission or the officers concerned.

Sandhu reportedly objected that the revised allocation had been made without consultation, while Joshi stated that a file he requested from the Administration Division was not provided to him.

The two Commissioners also referred to previous instructions against making such changes without prior discussion or approval from the Commission.

Why the Cabinet Secretariat did not intervene

Records disclosed through the RTI process indicate that the Cabinet Secretariat considered the complaints but concluded that direct intervention could be inappropriate.

In its internal deliberations, the Secretariat noted that the Election Commission is a constitutional body designed to function independently of executive interference. It also observed that the letters had been sent by the two Commissioners in their individual capacities rather than as an official communication from the Commission collectively.

The Secretariat therefore considered it appropriate to acknowledge the letters and inform the Chief Election Commissioner’s office, rather than take direct action against the official.

The Department of Personnel and Training was also informed so that the matter could be placed on record for future consideration concerning the officer.

What happened after the complaints

The Cabinet Secretariat’s records show that internal discussions took place on August 3 and August 4. The Cabinet Secretary acknowledged the two letters on August 5 and forwarded the matter to the relevant offices.

The Election Commission had also issued a clarification on September 26, stating that the dispute did not concern a policy matter or the Commission’s IT division, but the functioning of an officer posted to the poll panel.

The Commission said the work-reallocation orders were not implemented following directions from the two Commissioners and that oversight of the IT division had not actually been withdrawn.

The RTI disclosures provide an official record of how the complaints were handled by the Cabinet Secretariat, while also highlighting the institutional considerations involved in deciding whether the executive should intervene in the functioning of a constitutional body.

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