The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army

Mao Zhedong called Bhutan one of the five fingers of Tibet (which he termed the palm of China), indicating that China must annex Bhutan. Bhutan shares a 477 km long border with China which is not delineated. Over the years China has occupied large swathes of territory in western Bhutan through salami slicing, which includes areas north of Doklam, Yakchu, Charithang, Sinchulungpa, Langmarpo, Dramman and Shakato. After the 73-day long India-China standoff in Doklam was peacefully called off in 2017, the PLA occupied a major part of the Doklam Plateau within a month.

Mao Zedong once called Bhutan one of the "five fingers of Tibet," which he termed the palm of China, indicating a belief that China must annex Bhutan.

This salami-slicing China has been doing so even while boundary talks with Bhutan are continuing since the past several years. China has been offering a package deal to Bhutan; taking strategic areas it wants (including the Doklam Plateau which leans on to the Siliguri Corridor) in exchange for land contiguous to Bhutan in the north. How China is intruding into Bhutan and building villages has been covered in these columns in 2021.

In November 2018, media reported a Chinese village 'Pangda' built inside the southwestern border of Bhutan. One year later, satellite imagery showed the Chinese village 'Gyalaphug' built 8-km inside Bhutan. Indian media quoted Shen Shiwei, a senior producer with Chinese CGTN News, posting images of the village established in Doklam area and later indicated the precise location of the settlement. The report also revealed that other areas of Western Bhutan have also been gradually encroached by China to secure access to the border with India.

A report dated October 15, 2024, revealed that China has built at least 22 villages in Bhutan, annexing approximately 825 square kilometres of Bhutanese territory and relocating about 7,000 Chinese, including PLA personnel.

In 2020, China laid claim to the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern Bhutan which borders Arunachal Pradesh in India. Subsequent news reports indicated that China is constructing more villages in Bhutan and settling Han Chinese, the number was going up speedily. According to US analysts these are dual-use military villages which include elements of EW and air defence.

But, now an astounding report dated October 15, 2024 in 'Turquoise Roof' has brought out that China has built no less than 22 villages in Bhutan. The report says that China began constructing villages in Bhutan in 2016, but existence of the first village was discovered by foreign observers only five years later, by which time China had already built two other villages within Bhutan's remote areas. Judging from satellite imagery, these 22 villages and settlements consist of about 752 residential blocks divided into an estimated 2,284 residential units, each suitable for one family-sized unit. China has relocated/is relocating about 7,000 Chinese in these settlements; unknown number of officials, construction workers, border police and PLA personnel.

China has offered Bhutan a package deal, seeking strategic areas like the Doklam Plateau in exchange for land contiguous to Bhutan in the north, while steadily encroaching on Bhutan's land to get closer to the Bhutan-India border.

For building these villages, China has annexed approximately 825 square kms of Bhutan's land - over two per cent of Bhutanese territory. Also, at least two new sites within Bhutan have been cleared for construction and existing villages are being expanded. Chinese authorities have announced that three of the existing villages are going to be upgraded to towns. This report documents the location, size and purpose of these cross-border villages and settlements, replete with maps and videos. Of the 22 villages and settlements, 19 are villages and three small settlements; of which “seven” villages and settlements have been constructed since early 2023. China's strategic aim is to force Bhutan into its strategic sphere and get closer to the Bhutan-India border.

It may be recalled that in January 2021, satellite imagery showed a full-fledged Chinese village (over 110 dwelling units) built in about one year in Arunachal Pradesh, construction ongoing even during the India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh. The site where this Chinese village was constructed had an Assam Rifles post till 1959 when it was run over by the Chinese, according to official records. No construction was seen in the area in satellite images of August 26, 1999, till the Chinese village was discovered in 2021.

The construction of cross-border Chinese villages, part of a broader strategy to dominate the Himalayan region, has evoked little international response, leaving Bhutan with limited options against China's actions.

The construction of these 22 villages in Bhutan was not reported in Bhutanese and Indian media, but this cross-border village strategy of China has evoked no international response. Being a small country, Bhutan can do little. India is responsible for military training, arms supplies and air defence of Bhutan but not defence of Bhutan. China, therefore, is likely to continue with this strategy astride the Himalayas. This does not in any way mean that China is shy of waging war.