PM Modi in Bhutan
By Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Giri
(Secretary General, Assn for Democratic Socialism)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan on 21-22 March was significant for more than one reason. It was to counter China which is aggressively penetrating to India’s neighbourhood. Recently, through the border talks, Beijing sent overtures to Bhutan in order to dilute New Delhi’s historic ties with Thimphu. Second, despite the pressure of electioneering, Modi dashed to Bhutan underscoring the importance New Delhi attaches to its neighbourhood first policy. Third, conferring the Order of the Druk Gyalpo on Prime Minister Modi is an evidence of reciprocal importance Thimphu places on its ties with India. This honour is the highest award Bhutan gives to anyone including all orders, decorations and medals. The honour is testimony of India’s commitment to Bhutan’s growth, prosperity and security.
Political observers have wondered how a small country like Bhutan could be friendly for so many years with a much bigger country like India. Bhutan has a geographically area of 38,394 sq kms and a population of about 7.7 lakh whereas India’s territory consists of 3.28 million sq kms and population of 140 crore plus. The asymmetry in size and population is huge. Yet both the countries have remained the closest partners in the region for over last 50 years and more. This is because India treats other countries with respect and as equals as it should be between two sovereign countries irrespective of their size and resources. Bhutan has been having the trust and confidence in India to help it grow. India in return, has lived up to that expectation.
The latest in the bilateral relations between Bhutan and India is the development of Gelephu project which is being built as a special economic zone to attract foreign investment and advance prosperity for the Bhutanese kingdom. At the same time, this is being developed as a Mindfulness city with environmental security and spiritual well-being as the foremost concerns. The project will focus on all-round human well-being with practices of yoga, relaxation, recreation and spa therapies etc.
The visit of King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in November 2023 was to highlight the need and significance of such a project. The King spent quite a bit of time both with Prime Minister Modi and President of India Draupadi Murmu. Also, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay was in New Delhi just a week before Modi’s visit. They had a lengthy discussion in Delhi. The back-to-back visits by the Heads of governments of both countries signify the attention placed on the relationship which manifests in their evolving closeness.
Hydropower cooperation is the main pillar of India’s relations with Bhutan. Several hydropower joint projects have been commissioned and completed by both the countries that supply clean electricity to India and Bhutan with a regular flow of revenue. The delayed Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project is expected to be completed in 2024. However, some rethinking is called for as several other joint ventures on hydropower generation have not taken off.
The Government of India has declared to double its development assistance from Rs 5,000 crore in the 12th Five-Year Plan of Bhutan to Rs 10,000 crore. This is quite a significant development. Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a women and child hospital built with India’s support. Bilateralism with Bhutan in multiple sectors has grown under the basic framework of India-Bhutan bilateral relations in the form of Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1949 and revised in 2007.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit had at least three dividends. First, it gave strong message that India is committed to Bhutan’s development particularly in terms of support to the upcoming Gelephu project that would facilitate India’s increase in financial support. Second, Bhutan is an integral part of India’s massive infrastructure initiative and also for energy exchanges. Both these sectors are pushing sub-regional trade and trade and travel between India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Third, the message through the visit should be loud and clear that India is wary of Bhutan’s increased engagement with China. New Delhi may reconcile to Bhutan signing a boundary agreement with Beijing but will not brook China’s incursion into trade and investment in Bhutan. Beijing has done so with India’s other close neighbours.
Without doubt, New Delhi is concerned about the ongoing talks between Bhutan and China on boundary agreement. In fact, the possible swap of land at Doklam to Bhutan’s west is a threat to India’s Siliguri Corridor and it could threaten India’s border connectivity projects in Arunachal Pradesh. Note that, Bhutan-China boundary talks focus only on areas to Bhutan’s west and north, but China’s new claims to Bhutan’s East have raised fears that Beijing is using these claims to put pressure on Bhutan to fast-track the boundary talks or risk broadening the disputed areas.
As Bhutan appeared to be lenient to Beijing, Modi’s visit underlined India’s perspective on the border talks. Accepting the award, Modi said, “India-Bhutan ties are unbreakable and urged that India and Bhutan should remain vigilant about their ties in the face of challenges within their countries as well as in the neighbourhood.
Modi’s visit to Bhutan, after the elections were announced, has raised some eyebrows. Some people commented that he could go as a caretaker Prime Minister but cannot initiate or conclude any agreements. Such visits during the operation of Code of Conduct are perhaps unusual. But given the strategic importance of visit, new conventions could be created in the national interest. So, the gesture was meant to denote India’s commitment to Bhutan in particular and to the government’s “neighbourhood first” policy.
In order to enhance the bilateral relations, in the immediate future, New Delhi could perhaps think of commencing direct flights from Mumbai/Delhi and Gelephu which will increase the tourist traffic to Bhutan. Indians are looking for alternative tourist sites after a bad spat in social media with Maldivians. New Delhi also could transfer the knowledge and technology in building the Mindful city; encourage business to set up retail shops in the city. The success of Gelephu project will have economic spill-over in West Bengal and Assam region.
New Delhi will have to react swiftly whenever China seeks to open an entry point to inch nearer India threatening her security. Remember, China’s so-called ‘String of Pearls’ in the Indian Ocean region to encircle India. Also, India should always remember Mao Zedong’s Five Fingers of Tibet. China considers Tibet to be its right hand palm with five fingers in its periphery – Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. Modi has done well to visit Bhutan at this juncture. New Delhi should keep up the momentum even after the elections. — INFA