India and Bhutan will strengthen traditional cooperation

New Delhi: After the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a joint statement of the two countries was released on Wednesday. Moreover, Prime Minister Modi and Bhutan’s King Wangchuck held a five-point discussion to strengthen the ties further, citing the time-tested relationship between the two countries. A joint statement in this regard was released on Wednesday. Challenging the traditional cooperation between India and Bhutan, China initiated moves to intervene in Bhutan. However, after King Wangchuk visited India, it became clear again that China’s efforts would not succeed.

In 2017, the Indian and Chinese armies pitted against each other in the Doklam region, which bordered India, Bhutan and China. Additionally, China pressurised the Indian military with war threats for the withdrawal of the Indian army. But it did not affect India. This foiled China’s plan to seize Bhutan’s land in Doklam. After this, China had planned to plot and create an atmosphere against India by getting Bhutanese leaders under its influence.

Besides, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Lotay Tshering had made a controversial statement that China also has an equal right to talk about Doklam, a border dispute between the three countries. Through this, the Prime Minister of Bhutan indicated that China was as close a country as India for Bhutan. There had been a strong reaction from India to it. Bhutan has been India’s most intimate partner country, and India has been handling Bhutan’s foreign affairs as per the 1973 agreement. Due to this, India took Prime Minister Lotay Tshering’s statement very seriously.

Against that background, the importance of the visit of the King of Bhutan King to India had increased. King Wangchuk discussed this with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They discussed a five-point programme to broaden further the mutual trust and cooperation between India and Bhutan. It included economic cooperation and development, trade transport and investment cooperation, the economic prosperity of both countries, energy cooperation and cooperation in space and startups. Also, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra informed that Prime Minister Modi and King Wangchuk also discussed setting up a joint post of the two countries on their borders.

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