‘New Heights’ In India-Bhutan Relations As Thimphu-Beijing Border Talks Progress

PM Narendra Modi and Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Tuesday held a bilateral meeting that mostly centred around Thimphu’s ongoing and fast developing border negotiations with Beijing.

Keeping in mind the rapid progress in the ongoing border negotiations between Bhutan and China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said the relationship between New Delhi and Thimphu has reached “new heights”.

Prime Minister Modi held a long conversation with the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who is on a three-day visit to New Delhi. This has been the first such long meeting between the two leaders since talks between Thimphu and Beijing moved forward substantially. They last met briefly in September 2022 when the Bhutan king was transiting through New Delhi for a trip to the UK.

“Pleased to receive His Majesty the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. We had a warm and productive meeting. Deeply value our close friendship and the vision of successive Druk Gyalpos in guiding India-Bhutan relations to new heights,” Modi said in a tweet after their meeting.

While the visit has been in planning for a long time, the timing is of particular importance considering the recent controversy that spiralled out of control between both sides owing to an interview by the Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering to a Belgian newspaper La Libre that appeared on March 25 in which he said Bhutan did not have “major border problems” with China.

On the Doklam trijunction, he said: “Doklam is a junction point between India, China and Bhutan. It is not up to Bhutan alone to solve the problem. We are three. There is no big or small country, there are three equal countries, each counting for a third. We are ready. As soon as the other two parties are also ready, we can discuss. India and China have problems all along their border. We are therefore waiting to see how they will resolve their differences.”

As the comments made by him led to a major discontent in India, the Bhutanese PM later clarified that “there is no change in position” by Thimphu on this issue.

In October 2021, China and Bhutan signed an MoU to settle the longstanding border dispute between them based on a three-step roadmap, much to New Delhi’s concerns. 

India is also critical for Bhutan as a net security provider. The Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) is based in Bhutan to provide training to Bhutanese security forces. This has helped in boosting strategic and security ties between both neighbours since 1961.

‘Time-Tested Framework Of Security Cooperation’

The visiting Bhutanese King, who met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, has made it clear to the Indian side that India will be apprised of the border talks his country is having with China, sources told ABP Live.

According to the sources, Bhutan has assured India that its border talks with China will not jeopardise its ties with New Delhi.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said: “We have a time-tested framework of security cooperation. And, as part of that, both sides maintain a long-standing tradition of very close cooperation on matters relating to their mutual interest and of course, security also.”

Briefing reporters after the high-level talks, Kwatra said: “The intertwined and indivisible nature of our security concerns is self-evident.”

Kwatra, in order to put a lid on the recent row over Doklam, also said: “Government of India very closely follows all developments which have a bearing on our national interest, and we would take all necessary measures to safeguard them as necessary.”

Replying specifically to questions related to the Bhutanese PM’s statements, he said: “India and Bhutan remain in close touch related to our shared interest including security interest and I would only reiterate our earlier statements on this issue which explicitly and very clearly bring out our position on the determination of the trijunction boundary points.”

Additional ‘Standby’ Credit Facility, ICP & More

During the visit, India also extended an additional “standby” credit facility upon Bhutan’s request. According to Kwatra, this facility will be over and above the two existing stand by credit facilities that are operating between the two countries.

New Delhi told the Bhutanese King that it is also examining and considering setting up the first Integrated Check Post (ICP) along the India-Bhutan border, which would be near Jaigaon.

“In the  field of hydro-power specifically, which has been the cornerstone of our economic relationship, we have agreed to an upward revision of the tariff of the Chhukha hydro-electric project. This is the oldest hydro-electric project with Bhutan and is of great significance,” the foreign secretary said.

He added: “Two, in the space of hydropower itself, we will consider Bhutan's request to sell power from its hydro-power project known as Basochhu hydroelectric project. This would be perhaps done through the energy exchange mechanism of the market.”