BHUTAN - A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOUR


     

       Bhutan is a country to which India attaches a great significance both diplomatically and socio-culturally. This landlocked country is surrounded by the mighty Himalayas on all the sides. It is also considered as a buffer state between the two largest Asian giants i.e. India and China. It is a country which measures the gross happiness of its people. Bhutan is an environment conscious country.
        It is a democratic country, which has the King as the head of the state and the Country’s executive head, which is the Prime minister who is democratically elected by its own people. Like every democratic country in the world, it also had its national election in which the country chose Lotay Tshering as its Prime Minister. Lotay Tshering is a MBBS from the Dhaka University. His party won the general election with a thumping victory by winning 30 out of 47 seats in the Bhutanese parliament. 
        Within hours after the declaration of the election results, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, called him up and extended his warm wishes to him and reaffirmed India’s continuous support in the development activities in Bhutan. Mr Modi made his first international diplomatic tour to Bhutan after being chosen as India's Prime Minister in 2014. He was welcomed warmly by the Bhutanese people.


        India has been one of the supporting and driving forces in the Bhutanese economy. Its five year plan is mostly financed by the Indian government. During Bhutan’s 11th Five-Year Plan (2013-18), whose key objectives included self-reliance and inclusive green socio-economic development, India’s contribution of Rs 4,500 crore represented 68% of the total external assistance received by the country. In addition, India committed assistance of Rs 500 crore under an economic stimulus plan. Tshering has made it clear that he will be guided by the king in conducting foreign policy and that ties with India are non-negotiable. 
        India has participated in various economic development activities in the green country, by providing the crucial fossil fuels to keep the country running, building dams to generate green energy, providing easy visa facilities to the Bhutanese so that they can avail various services in India, providing scholarships to the Bhutanese students to study in India’s educational sector etc. So strong is the bond between these two countries that most of the financial transactions are done in the Indian rupees there. Major chunk of the tourist in that nation is that of the Indians. 
        The bond between the people in those countries are as strong as an ox. Bhutan’s national security is been provided by the Indian Army which has its own military base in the country. Thus we can observe that these two countries are tightly knitted with each other. And they both treat each other as their own brothers and sisters.






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