The final gist of the second article by the Bhutanese ( 30 December, 2016) on the Dorjilung Hydro project is that even after more than a year of Bangladesh, India and Bhutan joint visit to the proposed tripartite project site, India has not formally agreed to activating the project. Bhutan and Bangladesh had signed the MOU in Feburary, 2016 but India is still yet to sign the MOU writes The Bhutanese.
So was it a candy dangled to get Bhutan to fulfill another wish of India? I wonder what was that wish. The project is an important milestone if it goes through. However, it is not worth compromising the larger national interest.
As for power development, India has already backed down on her commitment to fund ( loan and grant) the total 10000 MW hydro projects by 2018. Few Hydro projects among the 10,000 have been rejected already. And by 2018, not even 30% of the committed 10,000 MW will be achieved though costs have escalated beyond financial sanity in the ongoing few projects.
The silverlining about future Bhutan Hydro Project development is that now Druk Green has the capability to conduct feasibility studies and draw up complete power projects of mega size. That is quite a national feat. Thank you Druk Green and Congratulations!
Project Fund and Market are of secondary importance for hydro projects in Bhutan. During dry rainy season, even Bhutan needs to import electricity supply to meet national consumption. So if Bangladesh wants to invest in Bhutan it can be done. If India does not allow transmission of power generated from Bangladesh Bhutan joint hydro project through Indian territory, Bhutan can pay Bangladesh share in currency ( I know Bangladesh needs electricity not money but a head start has to be made somehow for Bangladesh Bhutan joint Hydro Projects). Also some power intensive Bangladesh industries can be set up in Bhutan. Somehow Bhutan and Bangladesh should go ahead bilaterally if India hesitates further with the Dorjilung Hydro Project. ( My thanks to The Bhutanese for the update. We Bhutanese should be interested in knowing about such subjects).
Why is India involves in infrastructure projects in other countries in the first place? India is famous for its failure in domestic infrastructures. India imported a lot of equipment from foreign countries (most likely China) for its domestic power plant. India does not have the capabilities to build its own power generating equipment.
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