Warming Ties: On Bhutan China Relations and India’s Concerns

Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “Warming ties: On Bhutan-China relations and India’s concerns” which was published in the Hindu. Recently, for the very first time, Bhutanese Foreign Minister visited China, raising India’s security concerns.

Bhutan China Relations – Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Makes First Official Visit To China

• Holding of boundary talks that have not taken place in more than seven years
• The functioning of a new joint technical team for the delimitation, demarcation of the boundary and conclude their boundary negotiations
• To establish diplomatic relations (as Bhutan and China do not maintain diplomatic relations). 

Bhutan China Relations –  India’s Security Concerns

• Permanent Presence of China: Bhutan is going slow on normalizing ties and opening itself up to a permanent Chinese diplomatic presence, while continuing with border talks. 
• Establishing Diplomatic Relations: India, given its special relationship with Bhutan, has been very cautious about their establishing of diplomatic relations and the signing of a boundary agreement. 
• Swap of Territories: China and Bhutan consider a “swap” between territories in the valleys of the north, where Bhutan is coming under intense Chinese pressure, and on the Doklam plateau in the west. 

Bhutan’s Assurance to India

• Bhutan’s Prime Minister also asserted that no agreement with China would in any way go against India’s interests.

The Path Ahead

• Learning from the  India-China Doklam stand-off, 2017: India’s interests are better served by taking Bhutan on board and aligning strategies rather than by expecting consent from a sovereign nation. 
• Safeguarding of Interests: India needs to safeguard its interests, especially in preventing China’s proximity to the Siliguri Corridor.

• Border Negotiations: India must approach the boundary negotiations with a greater understanding of Bhutan’s reasoning.
• Maintain Confidence: India’s long-trusted neighbor will take both India’s interests and its own into consideration before any final agreement.

Also read: Neighbouring Countries of India

Conclusion:

The evolving Bhutan China Relations necessitate India’s strategic prudence to ensure mutual interests are upheld, emphasizing the importance of diplomatic coordination and understanding in addressing shared concerns.