Amid border stand-off with China, Army Chief Bipin Rawat to visit Sikkim today

New Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will begin his two-day visit to Sikkim from Thursday to take stock of operational matters and meet with top commanders at formation headquarters in the border state. 

General Rawat's visit to Sikkim comes amid fresh tension between India and China over border issues.

Although people familiar with the matter said General Rawat's two-day visit to Sikkim is routine but the Army Chief is likely to review the situation that has become tense after Chinese army destroyed two India bunkers in the Lalten post in the Doka La general area in Sikkim in the first week of June.

India shares a 220-kilometre-long border with China in Sikkim.

On June 20, China created hurdles in annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra by saying that pilgrims will not be allowed to enter Tibet as 'a bridge had broken'. The Sikkim route to Mansarovar, which is in Tibet, was opened in 2015.

The Chinese Government's mouthpiece 'The Global Times' said on Tuesday in an op-ed piece that China must force the Indian troops to retreat "by all necessary means" and New Delhi must be "taught the rules".

China has accused Indian troops of "crossing the boundary" in the Sikkim sector and demanded their immediate withdrawal. China said it stopped the Nathu La route for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar because of the border standoff.

China said it has lodged diplomatic protests with India, both in New Delhi and Beijing. 

Chinese Defence Ministry Spokesperson Ren Guoqiang said on Monday that recently China began building a road in Donglang region, but was stopped by the Indian troops.