The new Bhutan government to take office after Saturday’s election will have to opt for special measures to remove the distrust clouding the country’s relationship with India. India is unhappy about its attitude in the past five years under Druk Phuensan Tshogpa. Thimphu’s stated policy is that it will not allow the UN Big Five to have diplomatic relations there. New Delhi believes that Bhutan violated the policy by appointing an honorary consul for the UK. Bhutan had been a staunch ally of India. It did not hesitate to flush out Northeastern militants harbouring in the country at Delhi’s request. The first strain in Indo-Bhutanese relations appeared over the way ex-Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley met former Chinese premier Wen Jinbao in 2012.
India has decided to invite the King of Bhutan to Republic Day celebrations in Delhi. It is seen as a step to directly deal with the Bhutanese monarchy. Bhutanese Kings have all been pro-India. In 2007, India revised its treaty with Bhutan as the Bhutanese King wished to have an agreement suitable to a country heading for democracy. Thimphu was given freedom to pursue an independent foreign policy. A year later democracy came to the Kingdom. As a result of the agreement, Bhutan extended diplomatic ties from 21 to 53 countries between 2008 and 2012. India however did not like Bhutan employing Chinese experts installing heavy machinery in the country. Delhi recently cut cooking gas and Kerosene subsidies to Bhutan. The post-election scene will bring out the political realities. Analysts in Delhi feel that the flaws in Thinley’s policy should not sour bilateral relations. Bhutan is but a fledgling democracy.
