India and China must be frank with each other to prevent another Doklam, ambassador warns

New Delhi’s ambassador to Beijing, Gautam Bambawale, during a visit to Hong Kong said China and India have to be “frank and candid” to reduce their ongoing tensions and to prevent another Doklam, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to China in June. Bambawale said also political communication between the two nations had resumed after the Doklam crisis last year, when troops from both nations faced off for more than two months over the dispute. However, he said that the dispute had started because China had “altered the status quo” in the region, adding that both sides should refrain from doing so in future to maintain peace and stability. While the troops on the ground can talk to each other, the two nations’ military headquarters are still not communicating with each other, “We would like it to resume as soon as possible. We already have frank and candid discussions, but I mean we need to be more frank and candid with each other” Bambawale said.