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INDIA-BHUTAN RELATIONS:
A
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
By Rakesh Chhetri
January 03, 2005
GMT 00.30 AM
India and Bhutan have traditionally enjoyed a warm
and cordial relationship. This traditional relationship has
undergone some structural changes in recent times. Bhutan as the closest
ally of India in South Asia, always supported India in the SAARC
forums and toed Indian line at the United Nations and International
forums. A new “strategic partnership” has emerged out of the ashes
of the “Operation All Clear”. Bhutan king’s recent ‘unscheduled’
official visit to India form November 24-29 has puzzled many Bhutan
watchers, since he was already invited as the Chief Guest at
India’s Republic Day functions on January 26, 2005 – barely in two
moths’ time The top agenda remained the bilateral security concerns
according to sources. The King’s visit is expected to firm up an
‘institutionalized mechanism’ to deal with trans-border insurgency
and other security matters of mutual interests. The king
maintained a very warm personal and friendly relationship with late
Rajiv Gandhi, whose widow Sonia Gandhi now heads the ruling Congress
Party. Bhutan consults India on all matters pertaining to its
security and foreign policy. Bhutan has perfected the art of living
comfortably with its giant neighbour India and has been successful
in manipulating India’s magnanimity for Bhutan’s own overall
development. At least three elements of mutual security concerns
have prompted king’s unscheduled visit.
First, Bhutan has become concerned of China’s
road building ventures on its immediate northern borders in recent
times. In November, 2004, it reportedly lodged a formal protest to
Beijing stating that some of China’s road programme violated the
Bhutan-China Agreement on Peace and Tranquility on Borders, 1998.
The agreement stipulates that China and Bhutan will maintain peace
and tranquility on the borders, uphold status
quo of the boundary prior to March 1959 and not resort to unilateral
action to alter the status quo of the border. China purportedly
agreed to suspend the construction work till next border talk in
2005.
Secondly, in November Pakistani Prime Minister
Shaukat Aziz visited Bhutan as SAARC chairman. He led a large size
of Pakistani delegation that filled in three air force planes.
The Pakistani leader reportedly lobbied with Bhutanese leaders to
allow Pakistan open an embassy in Bhutan. India, is highly
sensitive about Pakistan’s ‘growing’ engagement in the region as
such it was a matter of serious concerns. King‘s ‘unscheduled’
visit to India was purportedly to assuage the Indian concerns and
consult India on this sensitive matter.
Thirdly, Bhutan army aided by Indian
army launched the “Operation All Clear” to flush out India’s
northeast militants form Bhutanese territories on December 15, 2003.
This could be the dawn of the new Indo-Bhutan ‘strategic
partnership’. The northeast militants were provided official
sanctuary in Bhutan since 1991 in return for their support in
terrorizing the Nepali-speaking southern Bhutanese to leave Bhutan.
Bhutan finally launched joint military operations, but after
securing Indian assurances that the ‘operation once launched should
not be abandoned for political dialogue with militants and Bhutanese
territory should be totally sanitized of the Indian militants.
Bhutan was concerned of backlash from the militants. The militants
had long warned the king of dire consequences of military
operations against them. Such threats are believed to be greater
now. Despite the official “mission accomplished’ announcement made
on January 15 2004, the ULFA militants reportedly hoisted its flag
and celebrated the 25th Raising Day at their camp in eastern Bhutan
in April, 2004, sending clear message that the militants are still
strong inside Bhutan. The new Indian government has invited the ULFA
to peace talk which has also made Bhutan’s position uncomfortable
vis-à-vis the Assamese militants. A land-locked Bhutan needs land
route through Assam and West Bengal for its supplies.
Military assistance: In return for
Bhutan’s military offensive, India assured Bhutan of its continued
support for military and development projects. India is preparing a
comprehensive modernization package for
the Bhutanese army. It has agreed to sell
low-tech arms to Bhutan - 5.56-mm INSAS
assault rifles, 51 mm or 81-mm mortars, night-vision devices, winter
clothing to the Bhutanese army and military vehicles. It has also
agreed to increase the military training of Bhutanese army
officers in India. India will also establish a joint military grid
to patrol against the Indian militants.
Economic: India is the single largest
donor to Bhutan, in fact, it has flooded Bhutan with enormous
economic aid. Bhutan receives over twenty percent of the annual
budget of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). In February
2003, the MEA allocated Rs. 8920 million to Bhutan,
a 15 per cent increase over the last year.
This was more than Rs. 8110 m, it allocated for its entire 161 diplomatic missions
abroad. The total budget allocation to MEA for 2002-03 stood at Rs.
34,100m. Bhutan also enjoys complete free trade
with India. Bhutan’s import from India increased from Rs
1,890 m in 2002-03 to Rs 3,991 m, registering a growth of 112 per
cent. Its export to India in 2003-04 increased to Rs 24,065 million
from Rs 1,556 million in 2002-03, an increase of over 1,400 % over
the previous year, according to an India Chamber of Commerce and
Industry.
India’s invitation to Bhutan king as the chief
guest at its Republic day celebrations for a second time,
demonstrates its unwavering faith on king’s leadership. This
sends clear signal to the international community, refugees and
Nepal, where Indian interests lie. Bhutan is quite confident that
India will turn a blind eye to the refugees’ hope of returning to
their homeland. Bhutan may be emboldened to act even more
aggressively and repressively against Nepali-speaking population in
Bhutan. The pursuit of
geopolitical and strategic interests have once again taken
precedence over the humanitarian issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese
refugees. The refugees will remain victims to geopolitical and
security game of three nations for an uncertain period of time.
-END
This story was posted
on January 03, 2005 ( GMT 00.30 AM), since then, it has been viewed
1224 times
as on January 05, 2005. (GMT 02.30 AM)
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