Bhutan–India relations

Bhutan-India relations
Diplomatic mission
Royal Bhutanese Embassy, New Delhi	Embassy of India, Thimphu
Envoy
Bhutanese Ambassador to India Vetsop Namgyel	Indian Ambassador to Bhutan Sudhakar Dalela

Last updated November 19, 2024

The bilateral relations between the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and the Republic of India have been traditionally close and both countries share a "special relationship",^[1]^[2] making Bhutan a protected state, but not a protectorate, of India.^[3] India remains influential over Bhutan's foreign policy, defence and commerce. Bhutan is the largest beneficiary of India's foreign aid.

Country comparison


Common name	Bhutan	India
Official name	Kingdom of Bhutan	Republic of India
Flag
Emblem
Capital	Thimphu	New Delhi
Largest city	Thimphu	Delhi
Population	727,145	1,428,627,663
Government	Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy	Federal parliamentary republic
Official languages	Dzongkha	Hindi and English
Current leader	Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay	President Droupadi Murmu Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Religion	Buddhism (official)	State secularism

Background

Following the Chinese expedition to Tibet in 1910, Bhutan became a protected state of British India, signing a treaty allowing the British Raj in India to "guide" its foreign affairs and defence.^[4] Bhutan was one of the first to recognize India's independence in 1947 and both nations fostered close relations, signing a standstill agreement to maintain the existing relations and a treaty of friendship in 1949.^[5] Their importance was augmented by the 1950 annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China and China's border claims on both Bhutan and India.^[6] India shares a 605 kilometres (376 mi) border with Bhutan and is its largest trading partner, accounting for 98 percent of its exports and 90 percent of its imports.^[7]

Military cooperation

A 2,000 strong Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) is permanently based in western Bhutan to train the Royal Bhutan Army, while other units regularly cooperate with the Royal Bhutan Army.^[8]^[9]

1949 treaty

On 9 August 1949, Bhutan and India signed the Treaty of Friendship, calling for peace between the two nations and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.^[10] However, Bhutan agreed to let India "guide" its foreign policy and both countries would consult each other closely on foreign and defence affairs. The treaty also established free trade and extradition protocols.^[10] Scholars regard the effect of the treaty is to make Bhutan into a protected state, but not a protectorate, because Bhutan continues to have the power to conduct its own foreign policy.^[3]^[11]

The annexation of Tibet by Communist China brought both countries even closer.^[10]^[12] In 1958, the then-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Bhutan and reiterated India's support for Bhutan's independence and later declared in the Indian Parliament that any aggression against Bhutan would be seen as aggression against India.^[10]

In August 1959, there reports in Indian media that China was seeking to "liberate" Bhutan and Sikkim. Nehru stated in the Lok Sabha that the defence of the territorial uprightness and frontiers of Bhutan was the responsibility of the Government of India.^[13]

The period saw a major increase in India's economic, military and development aid to Bhutan, which had also embarked on a programme of modernisation to bolster its security. While India repeatedly reiterated its military support to Bhutan, the latter expressed concerns about India's ability to protect Bhutan against China while fighting a two-front war involving Pakistan.^[10] India and Bhutan completed a detailed demarcation of their mutual border in the period between 1973 and 1984.^[10] Border demarcation talks with India generally resolved disagreements except for several small sectors, including the middle zone between Sarpang and Geylegphug and the eastern frontier with the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.^[10]

Indo-Bhutanese relations since 1972

Although relations remained close and friendly, the Bhutanese government expressed a need to renegotiate parts of the treaty to enhance Bhutan's sovereignty.^[10] Bhutan began to slowly assert an independent attitude in foreign affairs by joining the United Nations in 1971, recognizing Bangladesh and signing a new trade agreement in 1972 that provided an exemption from export duties for goods from Bhutan to third countries.^[10] Bhutan exerted its independent stance at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit conference in Havana, Cuba also in 1979, by voting with China and some Southeast Asian countries rather than with India on the issue of allowing Cambodia's Khmer Rouge to be seated at the conference.^[10] Unlike in Nepal, where its 1950 treaty with India has been the subject of great political controversy and nationalist resentment because of Nepali immigrants in India, the nature of Bhutan's relationship with India has not been affected by concerns over the treaty provisions.^[12]^[14] From 2003 to 2004, the Royal Bhutan Army conducted operations against anti-India insurgents of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) that were operating bases in Bhutan and using its territory to carry out attacks on Indian soil.^[15]

2007 treaty

India re-negotiated the 1949 treaty with Bhutan and signed a new treaty of friendship in 2007. The new treaty replaced the provision requiring Bhutan to take India's guidance on foreign policy with broader sovereignty and not require Bhutan to obtain India's permission over arms imports.^[16]^[17]^[12] In 2008, India's then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh visited Bhutan and expressed strong support for Bhutan's move towards democracy.^[7] India allows 16 entry and exit points for Bhutanese trade with other countries (the only exception being China) and has agreed to develop and import a minimum of 10,000 megawatts of electricity from Bhutan by 2021.

Support

In 2012–13 fiscal, India's budgetary support to the Kingdom country stood at US$600 million (around ₹30 billion). It steadily rose over the years to reach US$985 million (₹61.60 billion) in 2015–16 making Bhutan the largest beneficiary of India's foreign aid.

Bhutan's Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay, requested an additional aid package from India worth INR 54 billion (US$819 million, as per the exchange rates at the time of signing the deal) for his nation during his visit to New Delhi in August 2013. Five-sixths of this amount (INR 45 billion) has been earmarked for Bhutan's 11th Five-Year plan. INR 4 billion was for the pending projects of the previous plan period. The remaining INR 5 billion was part of India's "Economic stimulus package" for Bhutan's slowing economy.

India operates three hydro power projects, of 1,416 MW in Bhutan and three more of 2,129 MW are under construction.^[18] The third Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering secured an aid package of about Nu.45 billion (about $635 million) for the 12th five-year plan in his first overseas visit to India in November 2018. During this meeting the tariff rate for the Mangdechhu Hydropower Project plant was also brought under discussion where Lotay Tshering tried to raise the rate to Nu.4.27 but it ended more towards the Indian Government's negotiation price of Nu.4.1. The revised tariff rate for the plant was then settled at Nu.4.12. The government of Bhutan also received Nu.4Billion for trade facilitation and boosting economic linkages.^[19]

In 21st century

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Bhutan as his first foreign destination. Modi inaugurated the Supreme Court Complex in Bhutan and also promised help to Bhutan on the IT and digital sectors.^[20]

This visit followed an invitation by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Tobgay. The visit was called by the media as a "charm offensive" that would also seek to check Bhutan-China relations that had recently been formalized.^[21] He also sought to build business ties,^[22] including a hydro-electric deal, and inaugurated the India-funded Supreme Court of Bhutan building.^[23] While talking about the visit, Modi said that Bhutan was a "natural choice" for his first foreign destination because of the "unique and special relationship" the two countries shared. He added that he was looking forward to nurture and further strengthen India's special relations with Bhutan. His entourage included Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh.^[24] He was further set to discuss the insurgency in Northeast India, and China.^[25]

In 2024, the King of Bhutan conferred Prime Minister Modi with Bhutan's highest civilian award. It was the first such award to a non-Bhutanese.^[26]

Related Research Articles

The Government of Bhutan has been a constitutional monarchy since 18 July 2008. The King of Bhutan is the head of state. The executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog, or council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. Legislative power is vested in the bicameral Parliament, both the upper house, National Council, and the lower house, National Assembly. A royal edict issued on April 22, 2007 lifted the previous ban on political parties in anticipation of the National Assembly elections in the following year. In 2008, Bhutan adopted its first modern Constitution, codifying the institutions of government and the legal framework for a democratic multi-party system.

Bhutan has diplomatic relations with 56 of 193 member states of the United Nations and the European Union. Bhutan's limited number of such relations, including the absence of formal relations with any of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, is part of a deliberate isolationist policy of limiting foreign influence in the state. This stance has been safeguarded by close relations with India, of which Bhutan has previously been considered a protected state.

Bangladesh–India relations are the bilateral relations between the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India, both of which are South Asian neighbours. Diplomatic relations between the two countries formally began in 1971 with India's recognition of an independent Bangladesh following India's military intervention helping Bangladesh secure independence following the Bangladesh Liberation War. On 6 December, Bangladesh and India celebrate Friendship Day commemorating India's recognition of Bangladesh and the continued friendship between the two countries.

Relations between India and the United States date back to India's independence movement and have continued well after independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. Currently, India and the United States enjoy close relations and have deepened collaboration on issues such as counterterrorism and countering Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.

India–Nepal relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of India and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Both countries initiated their relationship with the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship and accompanying secret letters that defined security relations between the two countries, and an agreement governing both bilateral trade and trade transiting Indian territory.

India–Vietnam relations, also known as Indian-Vietnamese relations, are the bilateral relations of India and Vietnam.

India–Mongolia relations, also known as Indo-Mongolian relations, are the bilateral relations between the Republic of India and Mongolia. These relations are rapidly developing, with Indo-Mongolian cooperation formerly limited to diplomatic visits, provision of soft loans and financial aid and the collaborations in the IT sector; but were enhanced in 2015 by Narendra Modi's visit to Ulaanbaatar, where the two Prime Ministers declared a "strategic partnership" between the two Asian democracies.

Foreign diplomatic relations between Australia and India are well-established, with both nations sharing a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" since both were part of the British Empire. Both are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and share political, economic, security, lingual and sporting ties. Besides strong trading & migration, culture, arts, music, commercial & international sports like cricket, tennis, badminton have emerged as a strong cultural connection between the two nations. Military cooperation between Australia and India includes the regular joint naval exercise AUSINDEX. Both countries are part of the Quad.

Relations between Bhutan and Nepal were formally established in 1983. Both Himalayan countries are landlocked, separated only by the Indian State of Sikkim. Both countries are bordered by India and the People's Republic of China. However, the current state of relations remains strained owing to the Bhutanese refugee crisis.

Bangladesh–Bhutan relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Bhutan. The King of Bhutan was the first world leader to announce official recognition of Bangladesh's independence on 6 December 1971. The leadership of both countries have since exchanged many state visits. In 2016, the President of Bangladesh addressed the Parliament of Bhutan. On 6 December 2020, both countries signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with provisions for free trade in certain goods. The signing of the PTA was witnessed by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the Prime Minister of Bhutan.

Bhutan–Pakistan relations refer to foreign relations between Bhutan and Pakistan. Relations have been active at least since 2004. Both nations are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the United Nations. Neither country has a resident ambassador.

The foreign policy of the Modi government, also referred to as the Modi doctrine is associated with the policy initiatives made towards other states by the current government of India after Narendra Modi assumed the office of prime minister on May 26, 2014.

The most significant initiative made by the Narendra Modi government is the focus on neighbouring countries and major Asian powers coupled with emphasizing on the two decades old Look East policy. Asia being the major focus area of his foreign policy, Modi and his foreign minister chose several Asian countries for their initial bilateral visits. He has made state visits to Bhutan and Nepal and Japan within the first 100 days of his government and also hosted Asian leaders like former Prime Minister Tony Abbott of Australia, President Xi Jinping of China and Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng of Vietnam, apart from inviting SAARC leaders in his inauguration ceremony. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has also made official visits to several Asian capitals like Dhaka, Bangladesh, Kathmandu, Nepal, Naypidaw, Myanmar, Singapore, Hanoi, Vietnam, Manama, Bahrain, Kabul, Afghanistan, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Malé, Maldives, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Seoul, South Korea and Beijing China.

Narendra Modi, who is serving the Prime minister of India since 2014. The following is a timeline of the premiership from his inauguration as Prime Minister of India on 26 May 2014 till now.

Neighbourhood First Policy of India is a core component of India's foreign policy. It focuses on peaceful relations and collaborative synergetic co-development with its South Asian neighbours of the Indian subcontinent encompassing a diverse range of topics, such as economics, technology, research, education, connectivity, space program, defence security, environment and climate challenge. This policy creates new avenues as well as leverages to the existing regional cooperation initiatives such as SAARC, SASEC, BBIN, and BIMSTEC. It compliments India's Look East policy focused on Southeast Asia and Look West Policy focused on Middle East.

Doklam, called Donglang by China, is an area in Chumbi Valley with a high plateau and a valley, lying between China's Yadong County to the north, Bhutan's Ha District to the east and India's Sikkim state to the west. Since the 1960s, China and Bhutan have disputed sovereignty over the Doklam area. The dispute has not been resolved despite several rounds of border negotiations between Bhutan and China. The area is of strategic importance to all three countries.

The 2017 China–India border standoff or Doklam standoff was a military border standoff between the Indian Armed Forces and the People's Liberation Army of China over Chinese construction of a road in Doklam, near a trijunction border area known in Chinese as Donglang, or Donglang Caochang . On 16 June 2017 Chinese troops with construction vehicles and road-building equipment began extending an existing road southward in Doklam, a territory that is claimed by both China and India's ally Bhutan.

Lotay Tshering is a Bhutanese politician and surgeon who was the prime minister of Bhutan, in office from 7 November 2018 to 1 November 2023. He has also been the president of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa since 14 May 2018.

Narendra Modi, parliamentary leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, started his tenure after his oath of office as the 16th Prime Minister of India on 30 May 2019. Several other ministers were also sworn in along with Modi. The ceremony was noted by media for being the first ever oath of office of an Indian Prime Minister to have been attended by the heads of all BIMSTEC countries.

References

↑ Handle with care, Bhutan is a friend Archived 15 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Narendra Modi leaves for Bhutan on his first foreign visit as PM Archived 15 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine
1 2 Willigen, Niels van (2013), Peacebuilding and International Administration: The Cases of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, Routledge, pp. 16–, ISBN 978-1-134-11718-5 : "Crawford (2006) distinguishes three different types of protectorates: protected states, international protectorates, and colonial protectorates. First, protected states are entities which still have substantial authority in their internal affairs, retain some control over their foreign policy, and establish their relation to the protecting state on a treaty or another legal instrument. Protected states still have qualifications of statehood."
↑ Onley, James (March 2009), "The Raj Reconsidered: British India's Informal Empire and Spheres of Influence in Asia and Africa" (PDF), Asian Affairs, 11 (1)
↑ Levi, Werner (December 1959), "Bhutan and Sikkim: Two Buffer States", The World Today, 15 (12): 492–500, JSTOR 40393115
↑ "India-China Competition: Perspectives from the Neighbourhood" . Retrieved 23 March 2024.
1 2 Singh Visits Bhutan to Show India Backs Its Democratic Changes Archived 15 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine
↑ "Power games at the tri-junction.", The Hindu, 10 July 2017.
↑ Sudha Ramachandran, [ "China Brief: Bhutan’s Relations With China and India."], Jamestown Foundation, Volume 17, Issue: 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Savada, Andrea Matles, ed. (1993). Nepal and Bhutan: Country Studies (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 330–331. ISBN 0-8444-0777-1. OCLC 27429416. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
↑ Bedjaoui, Mohammed (1991), International Law: Achievements and Prospects, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, pp. 51–, ISBN 92-3-102716-6 : "The Treaty of Friendship of 8 August 1949 between Bhutan and India is an example of the creation of a protected State, Bhutan, with a quite loose relationship to the protecting State, India. By the terms of this Treaty of Friendship, Bhutan agreed to follow the guidance given by India in so far as external relations were concerned. India was not granted the power to exercise diplomatic rights on behalf of Bhutan and this way Bhutan remained in charge of its foreign policy."
1 2 3 Asia Times Online Archived 15 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Visit of Nehru and Indira Gandhi Archived 26 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Tribune India Archived 20 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies Archived 29 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
↑ "INDIA-BHUTAN FRIENDSHIP TREATY" (PDF). mea.gov.in. 2 March 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
↑ "India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses". idsa.in. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
↑ "Narendra Modi to address Bhutanese parliament in first foreign visit India and Bhutan have good relations". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
↑ Palden, Tshering (1 January 2019). "India-Bhutan relations strengthened: PM". Journalism. Kuensel. Kuensel. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
↑ "In Bhutan Narendra Modi vows to nurture ties". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
↑ "India's Modi heads to Bhutan to woo neighbours". Channel NewsAsia. 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
↑ "India, Bhutan to enhance economic ties as PM Modi pitches for 'B2B' links". Hindustan Times . Archived from the original on 15 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
↑ "Modi inaugurates Bhutan's Supreme Court building". Business Standard . Archived from the original on 19 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
↑ "Bhutan Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi". NDTV. Archived from the original on 15 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
↑ Rajeev Sharma. "NE terror, China: What's on PM Modi's Bhutan trip agenda?". Firstpost . Archived from the original on 15 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
↑ "Why PM Modi became the first foreign head of govt to get Bhutan's top civilian award". Firstpost. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.

v t e Foreign relations of Bhutan
Americas	Canada United States	Emblem of Bhutan
Asia	Bangladesh China India Israel Japan Nepal Pakistan Thailand
Europe	Austria Denmark Germany Russia Spain
Disputes	Bhutanese refugees
Related	Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic missions of Bhutan / in Bhutan