BhutanIndia relations

The bilateral relations between the Himalayan

Kingdom of Bhutan and the Republic of India have
been traditionally close. India remains inuential over
Bhutans foreign policy, defence and commerce. In
2012-13 scal, Indias budgetary support to the Kingdom
country stood at USD 600 million (around INR 30
billion). It steadily rose over the years to reach USD
985 million (INR 61.60 billion) in 2015-16 making
Bhutan the largest beneciary of Indias foreign aid.
Bhutans new Prime minister, Tshering Tobgay, secured
an additional aid package from India worth INR 54
billion (USD 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-sixth of
this amount (INR 45 billion) has been earmarked for
Bhutans 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 Indias Economic
stimulus package for Bhutans slowing economy. India
operates 3 hydel power projects, of 1,416 MW in Bhutan
and 3 more of 2,129 MW are under construction.[1]

China and its border disputes with both Bhutan and India,
which saw close ties with Nepal and Bhutan to be central
to its Himalayan frontier security policy. 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.[2]

Narendra Modi meeting with Bhutans National Assembly

speaker Jigme Zangpo

2 1949 Treaty

Background

On August 8, 1949 Bhutan and India signed the Treaty of

Friendship, calling for peace between the two nations and
non-interference in each others internal aairs.[3] However, Bhutan agreed to let India guide its foreign policy
and both nations would consult each other closely on foreign and defence aairs. The treaty also established free
trade and extradition protocols.[3]
The occupation of Tibet by Communist China brought
both nations even closer.[3][4] In 1958, the then-Indian
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Bhutan and reiterated Indias support for Bhutans independence and
later declared in the Indian Parliament that any aggression against Bhutan would be seen as aggression against
Indian PM Narendra Modi meets with Bhutanese PM Tshering
India.[3]
Tobgay

Bhutan, however didn't consider itself as a protectorate

country of India. In August 1959, there was a rumour
in India political circle that China was seeking to 'liberate' Sikkim in 1975 and Bhutan. 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.[5] This statement was immediately objected by the Prime Minister of Bhutan, saying Bhutan
is not a protectorate of India nor did the treaty involve
national defence of any sort.[6]

For much of its history, Bhutan has preserved its isolation

from the outside world, staying out of international organisations and maintaining few bilateral relations. Bhutan
became a protectorate of British India after signing a
treaty in 1910 allowing the British to guide its foreign
aairs and defence. Bhutan was one of the rst to recognise Indias independence in 1947 and both nations fostered close relations, their importance augmented by the
annexation of Tibet in 1950 by the Peoples Republic of
1

5 PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODIS 2014 VISIT

The period saw a major increase in Indias 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 Indias ability to protect Bhutan against China while ghting a two-front war involving Pakistan.[3] Despite good
relations, India and Bhutan did not complete a detailed
demarcation of their borders until the period between
1973 and 1984.[3] 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.[3]

in Bhutan and using its territory to carry out attacks on

Indian soil.[8]

Indo-Bhutanese relations
1972

par

4 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 Indias guidance on foreign policy with broader sovereignty
and not require Bhutan to obtain Indias permission over
arms imports.[4] In 2008, Indias then Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh visited Bhutan and expressed strong
support for Bhutans move towards democracy.[2] India
allows 16 entry and exit points for Bhutanese trade with
other countries (the only exception being the PRC) and
has agreed to develop and import a minimum of 10,000
megawatts of electricity from Bhutan by 2020.

5 Prime Minister Narendra Modis

2014 visit

Bhutan embassy in New Delhi

Although relations remained close and friendly, the

Bhutanese government expressed a need to renegotiate
parts of the treaty to enhance Bhutans sovereignty.[3]
Bhutan began to slowly assert an independent attitude in
foreign aairs by joining the United Nations in 1971,
recognising Bangladesh and signing a new trade agreement in 1972 that provided an exemption from export duties for goods from Bhutan to third countries.[3]
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.[3] Unlike in Nepal, where its 1950 treaty
with India has been the subject of great political controversy and nationalist resentment for decades, the nature
of Bhutans relationship with India has not been aected
by concerns over the treaty provisions.[4][7] From 2003
to 2004, the Royal Bhutanese Army conducted operations against anti-India insurgents of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) that were operating bases

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to people in Thimphu during his state visit.

The present Indian Minister Mr. Narendra Modi chose

Bhutan as his rst foreign destination, placing regional cooperation before global co-operation. He had inaugurated
the Supreme Court Complex in Bhutan and also promised
help to Bhutan on IT and digital sector.[9]
Modi made his rst foreign visit to Bhutan following an
invitation by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
and Tobgay. The visit was called by the media as a
charm oensive that would also seek to check BhutanChina relations that had recently been formalised.[10] He
also sought to build business ties,[11] including a hydroelectric deal, and inaugurated the India-funded Supreme
Court of Bhutan building.[12] While talking about the
visit, Modi said that Bhutan was a natural choice
for his rst foreign destination because of the unique
and special relationship" the two countries shared. He
added that he was looking forward to nurture and further

3
strengthen Indias special relations with Bhutan. His entourage included Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh.[13] He was further set to discuss the
insurgency in Northeast India, and China.[14]

See also
Bhutan House

References

[1] Narendra Modi to address Bhutanese parliament in rst

foreign visit India and Bhutan have good relations. IANS.
news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
[2] Singh Visits Bhutan to Show India Backs Its Democratic
Changes
[3] Indo-Bhutanese relations
[4] Asia Times Online
[5] Visit of Nehru and Indira Gandhi
[6] Neville Maxwell. Indias China War,Pantheon Books,
1970, p.115
[7] Tribune India
[8] Institute of Peace and Conict Studies
[9] In Bhutan Narendra Modi vows to nurture ties. The
Hindu. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
[10] Indias Modi heads to Bhutan to woo neighbours. Channel NewsAsia. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
[11] India, Bhutan to enhance economic ties as PM Modi
pitches for 'B2B' links. Hindustan Times. 1 January
1980. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
[12] Modi inaugurates Bhutans Supreme Court building.
Business Standard. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
[13] Bhutan Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. NDTV. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
[14] Rajeev Sharma. NE terror, China: Whats on PM Modis
Bhutan trip agenda?". Firstpost. Retrieved 15 June 2014.

8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1

Text

BhutanIndia relations Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutan%E2%80%93India_relations?oldid=686329108 Contributors: Rich

Farmbrough, BD2412, Russavia, Sardanaphalus, JFHJr, CommonsDelinker, Ombudswiki, Mangostar, Oxymoron83, TFCforever, SlackerMom, Pichpich, Good Olfactory, Addbot, Vishnava, Lightbot, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Fraggle81, AnomieBOT, FrescoBot, LucienBOT,
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File:Bhutan_emblem.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Emblem_of_Bhutan.svg License: Public domain Contributors: http://vector-images.com/image.php?epsid=6042 Original artist:
Converted to SVG by: Oren neu dag
File:Bhutanese_Embassy_in_New_Delhi.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Bhutanese_Embassy_
in_New_Delhi.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Kransky
File:Bhutanese_Parliamentary_delegation_calls_on_Prime_Minister_Narendra_Modi.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Bhutanese_Parliamentary_delegation_calls_on_Prime_Minister_Narendra_Modi.jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.0
Contributors: Bhutanese Parliamentary Delegation calls on PM Original artist: Narendra Modi
File:Emblem_of_India.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Emblem_of_India.svg License: Public domain Contributors: www.supremecourtofindia.nic.in Original artist: Dened by the Indian government as national emblem
File:Flag_of_Bhutan.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Flag_of_Bhutan.svg License: Public domain
Contributors: Originally from the Open Clip Art website, then replaced with an improved version. Original artist: w:en:User:Nightstallion
(original uploader), the author of xrmap (improved version)
File:Flag_of_India.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg License: Public domain Contributors:
? Original artist: ?
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commons/4/4e/PM_Narendra_Modi_meets_Bhutan_PM_Mr._Tshering_Tobgay.jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.0 Contributors: Flickr
Original artist: Narendra Modi
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the people of Bhutan on their National Day Original artist: Narendra Modi

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