IT is now more than two months since the Sino-Indian border stand-off in the Doklam region of the Himalayas began, and both rhetoric and actual readiness for war seem to be almost at an inflexion point. China and India share a 3,488 km border, of which 220km lies at a tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan.

The current imbroglio began when the Royal Bhutan Army attempted to stop Chinese road building in what Thimphu considers its own territory. India, which has a defence treaty with Bhutan, rushed in to protect its neighbour and blocked Chinese construction crews. Beijing insisted simultaneously that the Doklam area is a disputed zone between China and Bhutan and that it was building the road in its own territory.

In turn, India has accused China of crossing its boundary and destroying two of Delhi's bunkers with a bulldozer. Meanwhile, Bhutan has issued a diplomatic demarche to Beijing, protesting against China's trespassing into its territory. It called on Beijing to "refrain from unilaterally altering the status quo on the ground by building a new road in the contested area, pending a final settlement of border disputes".