Indo-Bhutan Relations Recent Trends

The Kingdom of Bhutan is often described as being physicallysmall with limited economic scope and military might. In spiteof these limitations, Bhutan has earned the reputation ofbeing a peaceful country where the development of threatsfrom militancy, terrorism, and economic disparity within itselfhas virtually been absent. In this sense, Bhutan has thus farbeen more fortunate than many of its neighbours in theSouth Asian region.This has been in part owing to its self-isolationist policy upuntil the second half of the 20th century, and the preservationand promotion of a strong sense of identity that has ensuredsocial cohesion and unity. Having never been colonized, norfeeling any direct impact of two world wars and the cold war,Bhutan has been spared the conflicts and turmoil such asthat of the legacy of hatred and mistrust generated by thepartition of British India into present-day India and Pakistan.Nevertheless, Bhutanese have historically been sensitive toissues of security with frequent disturbance occurring frominternal warring factions prior to unification andestablishment of the monarchy in 1907. External threat waspresent during the 17th and 18th centuries with several failedattempts at invasion from the Tibetans; 19th century Bhutansaw the loss of the Assam and Bengal Duars to British India.1As such, preserving its sovereign independence and territorialintegrity has always been a matter of great importance forBhutan.By the early half of the 20th century, developments in theHimalayan region prompted Bhutan to re-evaluate theusefulness of its isolationist policy. Within this context,Bhutan began to develop political orientation towards itssouthern neighbour - nurturing a close relationship withIndia was one way of enhancing its own territorial securitywhile at the same time enhancing the prospects forsocioeconomic development. As for India with its contentiousstate of relations with China, Bhutan’s strategic locationbetween the two ensured the service of a buffer state thatcould enhance its own security.The initiation of Indo-Bhutan friendship as it stands today, iscredited to the efforts of Indian Prime Minister PanditJawahalal Nehru and His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck,the third King of Bhutan. Their meeting in the 1950s sparkedthe dialogue for development cooperation. Looking back overthe decades since then, and under the continued guidance ofthe present king His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck,Indian assistance has greatly expanded in every field ofBhutan’s development and socioeconomic growth. To this day,India continues to provide the larg