Former Prime Minister of the country and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say that ‘You can change your friends, but not your neighbours’. Understanding this reality and its importance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also not responsible for improving relations with neighboring countries. Bhutan may be seen as a small country on the world map, but it is a neighboring country of India and this strategically important country has special importance in the mind of PM Modi. The depth of relations between India and Bhutan can be understood from the fact that today the activities for Lok Sabha elections are intense in the country and PM Modi is the biggest face for BJP. In such a situation, despite being busy with the elections, PM Modi took out time for Bhutan and visited Bhutan.
You can gauge the success of PM Modi’s Bhutan tour from the fact that Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk awarded PM Modi the country’s highest honor ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’. Narendra Modi is the first foreign leader to be honored with this honor by Bhutan. Not only this, after the end of PM Modi’s two-day visit to Bhutan, at the time of his return, both Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the Prime Minister came to see PM Modi off at the plane. Tshering Tobgay posted pictures of this period on social media and wrote that no one could stop Modi from coming to Bhutan. He wrote, ‘Thank you to my brother PM Modi for coming to meet us. Neither his busy schedule nor the bad weather could stop him from fulfilling the promise he had made to us. Perhaps this is what is called Modi’s guarantee.
India-Bhutan relations at new heights during Modi era
This is the second meeting between PM Modi and Bhutan PM within a month. About two weeks ago, on March 14, the Bhutanese PM met PM Modi in Delhi during his five-day visit. In November last year, King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk had met PM Modi in Delhi.
During his visit, PM Modi assured that India will stand with Bhutan in the path of development and will provide financial assistance of Rs 10 thousand crore to Bhutan for the next five years.
Important agreements between India and Bhutan
Many important agreements have been signed between India and Bhutan during PM Modi’s visit. An important agreement was signed between the two countries regarding energy. India will supply petroleum products and lubricants to Bhutan. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India will recognize Bhutan’s regulator, the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority. Both countries will partner in sports and youth matters. Joint plan of action was made between Bhutan and India in space matters. Both will cooperate in testing of medicines and such products. Both will work on establishing rail connectivity between Bhutan and India. Modi inaugurated Gyaltsun Jetsun Pema Mother-Child Hospital. This hospital has been built completely with the help of India.
An agreement has been reached between the two on cooperation in hydropower projects, green energy and solar energy projects. It is expected that this will benefit the treasury of Bhutan. Hydroelectric project has an important place in the socio-economic development of Bhutan. Bhutan produces electricity at home and sells it to India, from which it earns income. This is a major part of its revenue.
According to Bhutan government data for the year 2022, India buys electricity worth Rs 2,448 crore from Bhutan. It is believed that the Punatsangchhu-II hydroelectric project built in Wangdu Phodrang with the cooperation of India and Bhutan governments will be completed this year. According to an estimate, this project can produce 4,357 units of electricity annually.
India and Bhutan
Bhutan is a unique country, a constitutional monarchy with a population of approximately eight million, which considers its Buddhist tradition and identity supreme. Cordial relations with Bhutan are the most important achievement of India’s Neighborhood First policy. This relationship is based on continuity, mutual trust and goodwill.
Bhutan holds a special place for India for two important reasons. Firstly, the cultural relations between the two countries and secondly, the strategic importance of Bhutan due to Bhutan’s border with China. India-Bhutan Aspi relations are very old, but during the tenure of PM Modi in 2014, these relations have achieved new heights.
Bhutan is strategically important for India due to its geographical location and its proximity to China. The occupation of Tibet by China in 1950 and the presence of Chinese troops near the Bhutan border had worried Bhutan. Due to China’s expansionist policies, Bhutan has built strong relations with India, which are continuously becoming deeper.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Thimphu has come at a time when Bhutan is seeking an early resolution of the border dispute with China. India is keeping an eye on this conversation because it could have an impact on India’s security interests, especially the Doklam tri-junction.
India is Bhutan’s largest trade partner. Excluding electricity, India’s merchandise trade is expected to reach $1,606 million in 2022-23, which is about 73 percent of Bhutan’s total trade, according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs report. India provides scholarships to more than 1,000 Bhutanese students. Bhutanese pilgrims visit Buddhist sites in India.
(Disclaimer: These are the personal views of the author. The author himself is responsible for the veracity/accuracy of any information given in the article. News18Hindi is not responsible for this.)
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Tags: bhutan, PM Modi
FIRST PUBLISHED: March 27, 2024, 10:01 IST