Doklam Is Narendra Modi’s Biggest Geo-Strategic triumph

The issue regarding who withdrew its ground troops first from Doklam region  – India or China is settled at present as it is now clear that both sides agreed to withdraw simultaneously.

India withdrew first, however only after it was persuaded that China has entirely aborted its road construction plan in the disputed region.

The peaceful resolution of the conflict has been PM Narendra Modi’s biggest geostrategic triumph. It further demonstrated the achievement of a quiet guidance, where cold along with calculative moves strike chest-thumping style and where consequences verbalise for themselves.

The past seventy days of the Doklam stand-off as well as private discussions crafts for a classic case study of multi-party discussions.

In such multi faceted negotiations, a feature called BATNA, i.e.  Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement plays a vital role. A well-planned BATNA is the most significant influence a negotiating party has.

For the foremost time, India went to the negotiating bench with a visibly uttered and verifiable “finest alternative”, that it would not be timid away from a limited border battle if negotiations botched. The certainty of this alternative puzzled China, which seemed to anticipate that India would tenderly concede from its place.

As Prime Minister Modi and his lineup must be lauded for the declaration of the crisis, we have to be careful concerning the chinks in our Northeast plan being exposed. The Doklam dispute doesn’t appear like a single case of a Chinese attack.

India, thus, needs to carry on intensifying its BATNA to perk up its diplomatic negotiating control. For that, dipping the tremendous strategic and financial pressure on the 22 km wide Siliguri passage, which connects mainland India with its north eastern states, is a must.

What to consider?

While it is undecided if any side can announce victory,  even those contented to assert India has won a victory should also add warning notes concerning what China might do after that, and what New Delhi must embark on to guarantee that situations like this persist in working to Indian advantage. What is even more significant is not to be directed away to consider that only calm diplomacy succeeds.

This time China did not employ its force multipliers like cyber warfare however probably tested several models in the live surroundings. The next time this will be a critical area.