‘They were caught by the Chinese’: NSA Ajit Doval recounts moment he thought was end of his career
Ajit Doval Recalls When “They Were Caught by the Chinese”
Theindiapostdaily.com – “They were caught by the Chinese” was the message that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said he received after a border-surveillance team failed to return during his early intelligence career. Speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee convocation, Doval described how the episode in Sikkim made him fear that his career could be over.
Doval said he was in his 20s and newly working in intelligence after joining the Indian Police Service. He was posted as the intelligence in-charge in Sikkim during the period when the state was moving towards its merger with India.
The experience, he told students, taught him the importance of understanding one’s circumstances, preparing carefully and staying focused during difficult periods.
A border mission that raised alarm
As intelligence in-charge, Doval said he was responsible for monitoring border areas and gathering information about the movements of the People’s Liberation Army and other Chinese military activity.
He sent a team on a reconnaissance assignment that was expected to take five days. The personnel were meant to return within roughly eight days, but no word came from them as the deadline passed.
Doval said the situation was troubling both professionally and personally. He was concerned about the fate of the people he had sent on the mission, especially because there was no information about an avalanche or another natural disaster.
“For me, it was a matter of very great concern, not only professionally but also on the human side, that so many people — we don't know whether they are dead or alive,” Doval said.
For a young officer beginning his intelligence career, the lack of information felt devastating. Doval said he believed the incident could become the end of his professional future.
“They were caught by the Chinese,” Doval was told
The uncertainty ended with a telephone call from Intelligence Bureau headquarters. Doval recalled that his superior asked whether he had sent personnel across the border. He replied that his team was overdue and should have returned several days earlier.
His superior then told him that they were caught by the Chinese and were in Chinese custody.
“I got a telephone call from the headquarters, and my boss told me, ‘Have you sent some people across?’ … He said, ‘They are in Chinese custody now,’” Doval recalled.
The team was later released unharmed, but the incident prompted an inquiry. Doval said he initially considered it a major professional setback and feared that he had failed in a serious way.
The inquiry ultimately did not hold him responsible. According to Doval, the investigation found that maps and sketches supplied by headquarters contained mistakes, creating confusion about the exact border location and leading to the team being caught by the Chinese.
“I wasn't found at fault. Probably, I had done everything right. The sketches and the maps that were given to us by the headquarters had some defects and mistakes in them,” Doval said.
A lesson from disappointment
Despite being cleared, Doval said the episode left him deeply disappointed. The fact that the inquiry did not blame him did not immediately remove his concern for the missing team or his sense of personal failure.
He said a Tibetan Sherpa colleague later helped him see the experience differently. The advice encouraged him to assess where he stood, understand the route ahead and move forward with greater clarity.
Doval used the incident to tell students that setbacks can be painful, particularly when they happen early in a career. However, he said difficult moments can also offer lessons in responsibility, planning and resilience.
FAQ: Ajit Doval’s Sikkim Border Incident
What did Ajit Doval mean by “They were caught by the Chinese”?
Doval was referring to a reconnaissance team he had sent near the border in Sikkim. The team did not return as expected, and he was later informed by Intelligence Bureau headquarters that its members were in Chinese custody.
Was Ajit Doval held responsible for the incident?
No. Doval said the inquiry found that he was not at fault. He said errors in maps and sketches provided by headquarters had contributed to confusion about the border location.
What happened to the team?
Doval said the personnel were later released without harm.
What lesson did Doval draw from the episode?
He said the experience showed the value of careful preparation, understanding one’s situation and remaining resilient when a serious setback creates uncertainty.