Bhopal: As observers warn of another Doklam-like standoff showdown, Indiansecurity forces are now learning Chinese official language Mandarin tobreak language barriers.

Nearly 25 jawans and officials of the ITBP will take up a one-yearcertificate course in the Chinese language at the Sanchi University ofBuddhist-Indic Studies in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district, reported newsagency *PTI*.

Two ITBP inspectors and two jawans have already completed the year-longcourse and are currently posted at the border.

Last year, Union Minister Rajnath Singh has asked ITBP troops deployedalong the Sino-India border to learn Mandarin in order to ensure bettercommunication with the Chinese counterparts and avoid misunderstandingsduring face offs.

The statement had come days after Indian and Chinese troops exchanged blowsand hurled stones at each other near Pangong Lake in Ladakh on IndependenceDay 2017. At the time, the tensions were already high between the twonations over Doklam row.

Echoing similar views, university’s registrar Rajesh Gupta said thatlearning Mandarin will be helpful for the ITBP, which has to deal with theChinese-speaking people along the Sino-India border.

More ITBP personnel will now join the varsity, located around 12 kms fromthe UNESCO world heritage site of the Sanchi Stupa – the hemisphericalbrick structure built over the relics of Buddha.