Round The World

New Delhi, 27 June 2008

Indo-Bhutan Ties

PM’s Visit Cements Relations

By Monish Tourangbam

(School of International Studies, JNU)

The recently concluded visit of India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Bhutan was significant in ways more than one. While, the Wangchuck Dynasty is celebrating its centenary this year of the coronation of King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, it also was the first trip by the Indian Prime Minister to the youngest democracy after Bhutan held its first ever elections in March.

Moreover, the visit also coincided with the 50^th anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Bhutan in 1958. And last but not the least, Singh became the first international leader to be given the honour to address a joint session of the first elected Parliament of Bhutan on 17 May.

One of the prime issues of focus during the two-day visit was cooperation in the energy sector (read hydroelectric). Prior to the visit, the Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon briefed the media on the central need of forging a more diversified and contemporary economic and energy partnership in tune with emerging realities.

He said that hydroelectric power cooperation has been an important element of Indo-Bhutan relations as both countries have signed bilateral agreements to the effect that all surplus power from the three commissioned hydroelectric projects in Bhutan will be sold to India. In fact, Bhutan at present utilizes only 30 per cent of its total power generation. The remaining 70 per cent is sold to India and this is one of the biggest exports of Bhutan.

During his visit to the newest democracy, the Prime Minister dedicated the 1,020 MW Tala Hydroelectric Plant, built entirely with Indian assistance to the people of India and Bhutan. He also laid the foundation stone for the 1095 MW Punatsangchu I Hydroelectric Plant. According to India’s Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhir Vyas detailed project reports for the Punatsangchu II and Mangdechhu Hydel Power Projects were also nearing completion. During formal talks, Singh and his Bhutanese counterpart Jigme Yoser Thinley raised the targeted aim of jointly developed hydroelectric capacity in Bhutan from 5,000 to 10,000 MW by 2020.

The increasing opportunities of India importing hydroelectric energy from Bhutan assumes importance, now that the Indo-US nuclear deal is in limbo and the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline is being constrained by strategic and political considerations. According to Menon, Bhutan has the potential of producing up to 30,000 MW of hydroelectric power. According to a study, even if half of this potential is tapped, it will to a large extent ease the chronic power shortages in Northern India.

Another important development during Singh’s visit was the formal announcement of India’s decision to start construction of the first ever rail-link from Hashimara in Northern Bengal to Phuntshoeling in Bhutan across the border. This link is to be called the ‘Golden Jubilee Rail Line’ commemorating Nehru’s first visit to Bhutan 50 years ago. The Indian Prime Minister promised that the link would connect Bhutan to the entire railway network in India.

Moreover, welcoming the assistance of Rs 100 billion pledged by the Prime Minister, Thinley asserted that the amount would be spent in developing hydropower, the proposed rail-link and 10^th Five Year Plan programmes, among other projects.

Though the antiquity of relations between the two nations can be traced to the influence of missionary Buddhism around the 8^th Century, substantive relationship between the two countries struck roots once India gained Independence. In 1949, Bhutan signed a Treaty of Friendship with India, thus institutionalizing formal relations between the two sovereign countries. In 1954, the then king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck paid a State visit, which was reciprocated by Nehru in 1958.

In the face of numerous changes in international and regional dynamics over the years, India has remained the most important development partner for Bhutan. Reflecting on how Nehru arrived on a horseback in Bhutan in 1958, the Foreign Secretary commented, “Now the Prime Minister goes by plane. It just goes to show how economic integration and transport linkages have developed.”

On his arrival in Bhutan, interacting with Bhutanese and Indian media, Manmohan Singh said, “I have come with the message for the people and the Government of Bhutan that India stands ready to join hands to strengthen our relationship, to do our best for accelerated development of Bhutan.” Forty-seven delegates, including the National Security Adviser M.K.Narayanan, Principal Secretary TK Nair besides the Foreign Secretary accompanied the Prime Minister.

Reflecting India’s commitment to provide ‘every possible assistance’ to Bhutan in its period of transition, Manmohan Singh emphasized the importance of working with Bhutan in both the bilateral and the regional context, to ensure a peaceful South Asia. Indeed, India has actively supported the democratic transition of Bhutan by training poll officials and setting up Bhutan’s Election Commission, as well as providing over two million dollars in assistance, including electronic voting machines.

In what is almost an untainted relationship between the two countries, the security of the porous border has been of concern to India. As such, during his visit, the Prime Minister said New Delhi looked forward to continuing its cooperation with Thimpu on issues related to the national interests of the two countries and ensuring that their territories were not used for activities harmful to each other’s national security and interest.

At formal talks, the two sides agreed to continue their cooperation to keep their border safe and secure. In December 2003 and January 2004, the Bhutanese army had carried out operations to evict anti-India insurgent groups that had set up camps on Bhutanese soil, specifically United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO).

In recent years, the evolving relationship between the two countries has seen a momentum of desiring a more symbiotic relationship. The Bhutanese Prime Minister commenting on the absence of the ‘Big brother syndrome’ in India-Bhutan relations said the partnership in recent years in hydropower sector “is changing the nature of our bilateral relationship from a purely donor-recipient relationship to one of collaboration for mutual benefit.”

Besides, in February 2007, both countries signed a revised version of their 57-year-old Friendship Treaty that gives Thimpu more freedom in the crucial areas of foreign policy and non-lethal military purchases as long as such decisions do not damage India’s vital strategic interests. Article 2 of the Treaty, which says that Bhutan will be guided by India’s advice while conducting its foreign policy, has been substituted by a language that speaks of cooperation.

The credibility of the democratic transition in Bhutan will of course have to withstand the test of time. But, India, in most likeliness, will be patient and supportive as Bhutan treads hitherto uncharted territories. Further, there are no doubts in New Delhi as well as in Thimpu regarding the prime importance that India occupies in Bhutan’s calculations. It would be worthwhile to conclude by quoting Manmohan Singh who said, “The best in India-Bhutan relations is yet to come.”---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)