Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck who arrived in Delhi on Sunday, held a crucial meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening. Although it was not officially announced whether the duo discussed the border dispute between Bhutan, India and China, it was obvious that it might be on the top agenda. The presumptions turn even more concrete with the timing of Wangchuck's visit amid the fact that the Bhutanese Foreign Minister had recently concluded his tour to China which his ministry dubbed it as "a grand success".
Both vow to expand the rail network
According to the joint statement released following the meeting, it said PM Modi conveyed Wangchuck India's strong commitment to its unique ties of friendship with the Himalayan nation and reiterated full support to the socio-economic development of Bhutan based on its priorities.
The two sides agreed on a final location survey for the proposed cross-border rail link connecting Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Bhutan. The two sides also agreed to consider establishing a rail link between Banarhat in West Bengal and Samtse in Bhutan.
Modi and Wangchuck "positively assessed" the expanding India-Bhutan partnership including in new areas of connectivity in its "broadest form", cross-border trade infrastructure, trade and mutual investments, energy, health, education, space technology and people-to-people contacts, the statement said.
No mention of the border dispute
However, the joint statement did not mention any talks between both leaders on the border dispute with China.
Earlier last month, China and Bhutan signed a "Cooperation Agreement” outlining the responsibilities and functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the delimitation and demarcation of the boundary between the two countries after their 25th round of border talks in Beijing. Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Dr.Tandi Dorji had visited Beijing, and China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held the 25th Round of Boundary Talks last month-- thus marking a crucial step in resolving the decade-old boundary dispute between the two neighbouring nations.
During the talks, the two leaders of the delegations signed the Cooperation Agreement between Bhutan and China on the Responsibilities and Functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the Delimitation and Demarcation of the Bhutan-China Boundary
The JTT was established during the 13th Expert Group Meeting to assist the Expert Group in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Three-Step Roadmap. The two sides agreed to continue working together to simultaneously push forward the implementation of all the steps of the Three-Step Roadmap, it said, adding that both sides agreed to build on the positive momentum.
China and Bhutan do not have diplomatic relations
China and Bhutan do not have diplomatic relations but maintain contact through periodic visits by officials. While Beijing resolved the boundary disputes with the 12 other neighbours, India and Bhutan are the only two countries China has yet to sign the border agreements.
China in recent years stepped up efforts to establish full-fledged diplomatic ties with Bhutan and to expedite negotiations to reach a settlement for the vexed border dispute which was complicated by Beijing's attempts to claim Doklam despite Thimphu's assertions that the area belonged to it.
China's attempts to build a road in the Doklam plateau in 2017 resulted in an India-China stand-off triggering tensions between the two neighbours.
What India had said?
India strongly opposed the construction of the road by the Chinese military at the Doklam tri-junction as it would have impacted its overall security interests since it runs close to the narrow Siliguri Corridor also known as the Chicken Neck connecting India with its north-east.
The standoff ended after Beijing dropped its plan to build the road.
Also in 2020, China made a surprising claim on Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council by opposing funding for the project. Bhutan has lodged a demarche to the Chinese Embassy in India over China's claim over the sanctuary made at the GEF meeting.
China has also ramped up efforts to develop the villages located along borders with India Bhutan and Nepal with infrastructure development and preferential policies. Beijing and Thimphu held their 13th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the Bhutan-China Boundary issues in Beijing in August this year.
(With inputs from agency)
