<p>External Affairs Minister S M Krishna’s two-day visit to Bhutan underscores the importance of Bhutan -- a strategically located country bordering China -- in India’s external relations.<br /><br />The importance that India attaches to the land-locked country can be gauged from the fact that President Pratibha Devi Patil and Chairperson of UPA Sonia Gandhi paid a visit to the country in November last year to grace the coronation of Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wanchuk, who was sworn in as the fifth king of Bhutan. <br /><br />Considering China’s increasing influence in Nepal, perhaps India can ill-afford to ignore its relationship with Bhutan. <br /><br />The fact that India occupies a unique positions in Bhutan’s external relations is evident from the fact that India was the only country which was extended this privileged invitation to witness the gala pageantry. Soon after his appointment as the prime minister of the first time elected government in Bhutan, Lyonchen Lyonchen Jigme Y Thinley visited India with a high powered delegation in July last year. The high point of the visit was that India enhanced its standby credit facility to Bhutan to Rs 400 crore and exempted the neighbouring country from the ban on export of essential commodities. India also reiterated its commitment to assist Bhutan in its socio-economic development programmes and reaffirmed its full support to the country’s 10th Five Year Plan.<br /><br />Besides committing to double its plan assistance, New Delhi has agreed to develop the 10,000 MW of hydropower in Bhutan for export to India by the year 2020. This would be done through direct assistance and in collaboration with Indian public sector undertakings. <br /><br />During the visit of the Bhutanese King in September 2003, an MoU for the preparation of DPR for Punatsangchhu hydroelectric power project at the cost of Rs 3,500 crore was signed. The 1095 MW Punatsangchhu project is expected to be completed in eight years. <br /><br />It is the latest to be built with Indian assistance after Chukha, Kuricha, and Dhala projects for which India has invested Rs 5,000 crore. The three hydel power plants together produce 1400 MW of power. India draws power from the Bhutanese hydel plants. Besides these projects, examples of India’s contribution to Bhutan’s development is the completion of the Tala hydro-electric project.<br /><br />The India-Bhutan cooperation, however, is comprehensive and the gamut of cooperation touches many aspects of the economic development of Bhutan, ever since Bhutan embarked upon its planned development in 1960s. Some of the major projects in Bhutan carried out with Indian assistance in the past are the Paro airport, Bhutan broadcasting station, major highways, electricity distribution systems, exploration of mineral resources, survey and mapping. <br /><br />In the field of education also, India has been playing a very important role. The government of India scholarships are offered to about 50 Bhutanese students every year in Indian Institutes of higher learning. These are over and above the scholarships and financial support given under Indian technical and economic cooperation (ITEC) schemes.<br /><br />In the evolution and development of democracy and parliamentary polity, India has also been playing the role of a catalyst over the years. Ever since 1988, Bhutan has followed the policy of devolution of power by taking steps to introduce a written constitution for the Kingdom of Bhutan and decentralisation of the plan process.<br /><br />By entering into a new treaty of friendship and cooperation, signed on Feb 8, 2007 India and Bhutan have moved a step towards restructuring their relations. The treaty reinforces the exemplary relations of trust, respect and confidence that have existed between the two countries for decades. <br /><br />The dawn of democracy in Bhutan provided yet another opportunity for cooperation.<br /><br /> Indian constitutional and legal experts, the Election Commission have guided and trained the Bhutanese counterparts in the democratic process. Bhutan had earned India’s gratitude a few years ago when Indian insurgents were flushed out of their hideouts in the jungles and hills of the country by the Royal Army. It is hoped that the visit of Krishna to Bhutan will give a further impetus to India-Bhutanese relation.<br /><br /><em>(The writer is an additional director, Lok Sabha secretariat)</em></p>
<p>External Affairs Minister S M Krishna’s two-day visit to Bhutan underscores the importance of Bhutan -- a strategically located country bordering China -- in India’s external relations.<br /><br />The importance that India attaches to the land-locked country can be gauged from the fact that President Pratibha Devi Patil and Chairperson of UPA Sonia Gandhi paid a visit to the country in November last year to grace the coronation of Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wanchuk, who was sworn in as the fifth king of Bhutan. <br /><br />Considering China’s increasing influence in Nepal, perhaps India can ill-afford to ignore its relationship with Bhutan. <br /><br />The fact that India occupies a unique positions in Bhutan’s external relations is evident from the fact that India was the only country which was extended this privileged invitation to witness the gala pageantry. Soon after his appointment as the prime minister of the first time elected government in Bhutan, Lyonchen Lyonchen Jigme Y Thinley visited India with a high powered delegation in July last year. The high point of the visit was that India enhanced its standby credit facility to Bhutan to Rs 400 crore and exempted the neighbouring country from the ban on export of essential commodities. India also reiterated its commitment to assist Bhutan in its socio-economic development programmes and reaffirmed its full support to the country’s 10th Five Year Plan.<br /><br />Besides committing to double its plan assistance, New Delhi has agreed to develop the 10,000 MW of hydropower in Bhutan for export to India by the year 2020. This would be done through direct assistance and in collaboration with Indian public sector undertakings. <br /><br />During the visit of the Bhutanese King in September 2003, an MoU for the preparation of DPR for Punatsangchhu hydroelectric power project at the cost of Rs 3,500 crore was signed. The 1095 MW Punatsangchhu project is expected to be completed in eight years. <br /><br />It is the latest to be built with Indian assistance after Chukha, Kuricha, and Dhala projects for which India has invested Rs 5,000 crore. The three hydel power plants together produce 1400 MW of power. India draws power from the Bhutanese hydel plants. Besides these projects, examples of India’s contribution to Bhutan’s development is the completion of the Tala hydro-electric project.<br /><br />The India-Bhutan cooperation, however, is comprehensive and the gamut of cooperation touches many aspects of the economic development of Bhutan, ever since Bhutan embarked upon its planned development in 1960s. Some of the major projects in Bhutan carried out with Indian assistance in the past are the Paro airport, Bhutan broadcasting station, major highways, electricity distribution systems, exploration of mineral resources, survey and mapping. <br /><br />In the field of education also, India has been playing a very important role. The government of India scholarships are offered to about 50 Bhutanese students every year in Indian Institutes of higher learning. These are over and above the scholarships and financial support given under Indian technical and economic cooperation (ITEC) schemes.<br /><br />In the evolution and development of democracy and parliamentary polity, India has also been playing the role of a catalyst over the years. Ever since 1988, Bhutan has followed the policy of devolution of power by taking steps to introduce a written constitution for the Kingdom of Bhutan and decentralisation of the plan process.<br /><br />By entering into a new treaty of friendship and cooperation, signed on Feb 8, 2007 India and Bhutan have moved a step towards restructuring their relations. The treaty reinforces the exemplary relations of trust, respect and confidence that have existed between the two countries for decades. <br /><br />The dawn of democracy in Bhutan provided yet another opportunity for cooperation.<br /><br /> Indian constitutional and legal experts, the Election Commission have guided and trained the Bhutanese counterparts in the democratic process. Bhutan had earned India’s gratitude a few years ago when Indian insurgents were flushed out of their hideouts in the jungles and hills of the country by the Royal Army. It is hoped that the visit of Krishna to Bhutan will give a further impetus to India-Bhutanese relation.<br /><br /><em>(The writer is an additional director, Lok Sabha secretariat)</em></p>
