Is Bhutan drawing closer to China, and what can India do about it?
Border dispute could prove less influential than economic friction with biggest trade partner
The ending of a stand-off between Chinese and Indian troops in the Himalayas on Monday may have eased bilateral tensions but both countries will continue to test their influence in the small nation of Bhutan, which is sandwiched between them.
In a brief statement published on the website of its foreign ministry on Tuesday, Bhutan said it welcomed the disengagement by both sides.
“We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity and the status quo along the border of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries,” the statement said. It was its first official statement on the row since June 29 when it called China’s construction of a road on the Doklam plateau a violation of agreements in 1988 and 1998.
Beijing-based Himalayan analyst Rupak Sapkota said voices in Bhutan advocating closer ties and more cooperation with China were becoming louder and “gradually gaining momentum”.
“Bhutan will try to have more room for diplomatic manoeuvre in the future, since China can offer Bhutan more economic support and tourism exchanges than India,” he said.
Many Bhutanese say the stand-off on the Doklam plateau, where the borders of the three countries meet, highlighted the need for a dispute over the border between Bhutan and China to be resolved.