Ajit Doval recalls early career incident involving Chinese capture of surveillance team

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval recounted a significant incident from his early career during a convocation ceremony at IIT Roorkee. While serving in the intelligence department in Sikkim during the 1970s, Doval dispatched a surveillance team to monitor activities along the border.

The team failed to return as scheduled, leading to concerns regarding their safety. Doval later learned that the team had been captured by the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Although the team was eventually released, the incident triggered an official inquiry.

Doval stated that he initially feared the event would end his career. However, the investigation concluded that the team had been misdirected due to errors in the maps and sketches provided by headquarters. Doval was cleared of any wrongdoing, though he noted the experience left him deeply distressed at the time.