The Indian Bhutanese Friendship Is Everlasting
After Tibet was invaded and captured by China by 1958 and the news of His Holiness The Dalai Lama managing to escape to India, the Government of Bhutan immediately realized the great danger the country was facing.
So the King at once turned towards India to completely cement the existing friendship and thus ensure permanent security for his nation. Since then India has remained the closest and ever reliable friend of Bhutan for everything.
India provides economic, military and technical help to Bhutan as an when demanded by Bhutan. The Himalayan nation is the largest recipient of India’s foreign aid. India gave nearly $800 million to Bhutan’s last five-year economic plan.
Bhutan is geographically located between two Asian giants – China in the north and India in the south. The Himalayan nation, has a population of about 800,000 and they value their freedom and are highly democratic by nature in spite of being ruled by a King. So they have rightly chosen to align themselves with the largest democracy in the world ….India.
Having complete faith in India, Bhutanese were not at all anxious when troops from China massed on the Bhutan border because without any hesitation the Indian Army too reached the area to stop the Chinese in their tracks. Not even the British had shown this kind of response to come to the aid of Poland against the Germans.
The Chinese had planned to annex a strategic plateau located inside Bhutan called Doklam. It is situated in the tri-junction between India, Bhutan and China and very close to the Indian strategic Pass Nathu La, where the Chinese Army had received a solid drubbing in 1967 at the hands of the Indian Army.
The remote mountainous region of Doklam is located well inside Bhutan and China with some plan in mind suddenly decided to lay claim on it. They thought that Bhutan will just make a loud protest and that will be the end of the matter.
The Chinese had failed to analyse the new Government of India and especially the new Prime Minister. Within a blink of an eye India was in full moral support of Bhutan’s claim over the area and immediately backed it with full support of the Indian Army.
When China started to expand an unpaved road in June 2017 into Bhutan, Indian troops physically stopped the work, Chinese realized that things had changed since 1962.
Delhi bluntly stated that the road cannot be permitted because it had security implications for both Bhutan and India.
Militarily in any future conflict, Chinese troops may try to use this route to make a move towards India’s strategically important Siliguri Corridor, known as the Chicken’s Neck, which connects the Indian mainland with its north-eastern states. Though in trying to do so, they stand a big chance of loosing their grip on Tibet itself. Thus providing an opportunity to the people of Tibet in winning their freedom once again.
The Bhutanese Government was fully aware of the strategic importance of Doklam and the Chinese intensions. Knowing that Tibet had lost its independence due to such similar periodic pincer moves from Chinese territory into Tibetan territory. Doklam though an unknown place even for the Bhutanese until it became known due to Chinese claim, became a matter of concern for most of the population.
The tense stand-off between Chinese and Indian troops notwithstanding, the Bhutanese knew that in case it triggered a war between the two Asian giants, then also India would not abandon them.Finally the Chinese could do nothing except angrily denounce the presence of Indian troops.
The 73 days long face off ended only after weeks of hectic diplomacy by the Indian and Chinese leadership. The Government of Bhutan welcomed the disengagement by the two sides because no one wanted any War. Many in Bhutan came to know, how precious was there freedom and what a close friend was India. There was a passionate discussion on social media over the issue of democracy and independence from Chinese influence and how India was supporting them through BIMSTEC initiative.
With its scenic mountains and stunning Buddhist monasteries on hilltops, Bhutan is a traveller’s dream and described by some as the last Shangri-La – a mystical beautiful place where everything is perfection. The country’s capital, Thimphu, is a refreshing delight to those who are tired of traffic and pollution in mega cities. The fresh air and the lush green mountains and snow peaks in the distance offer a visual treat.
Men, women and children calmly walk around in the country’s traditional attire. It is probably the only country in the world where there are no traffic signals – just traffic police officers giving hand signals. Bhutanese are thankful to India for its assistance over the decades, and helping them to oreserve their way of life.
India’s foreign policy takes Bhutans security concerns into account because of a special treaty, signed first in 1949. The treaty was revised in 2007 but it gave Bhutan more freedom in areas of foreign policy and military purchases.
Bhutan and China have disputes over territory in the north and in the west. This needs to be settled. However Bhutanese know that they have nothing to fear as long as India is with them. Though certain vested interests with help of outdated western ideas are trying to ferment political trouble against the King and against India.
This miniscule minority is trying to instigate people against India by stating that Bhutan is being treated like a Vassal Sttate. Such Indian baiters wanted India to show restraint at Doklam and should have avoided a face-off with China.
They think India’s stance might have an impact in Bhutan’s efforts to solve its long-standing border dispute with Beijing. These people have already forgotten Tibet it seems.
India has also stopped the Chinese making inroads into other south Asian countries like Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bangladesh. Nepal has also become quite cautious but at times does like to play games with both China and India. Bhutan is the only country in the region which has no formal diplomatic relations with Beijing. The Bhutanese openly say that their future lies with India.
The whole World noted the way India stood in front China at Doklam. Even the USA has not been able to achieve this kind of thing. While India grapples with the challenge of a rising China, both militarily and economically the last thing India wants to see is Chinese and Indian armies squaring up to each other again near the border.
