India's Ability to Subdue China May Be a One-Time 'Win

Ian Armstrong

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Some have challenged the strategic extent of India’s success, but the fact remains that New Delhi faced down Chinese coercion and prevented a revision to the status quo—a tactical win. Rightly so, analysts have noted the insights that Doklam can offer for managing Chinese coercion. But can Doklam really form a blueprint for navigating territorial disputes with China? Not only did the standoff occur in a unique context that limits the value of India’s strategy to others in Beijing’s crosshairs, but its root causes remain unsolved and its strategic costs are yet tallied. The biggest lesson of Doklam is that India’s “win,” though important, was the result of distinct factors that make it unlikely to be repeated by other countries countering Chinese expansionism.

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