The politics of hydro projects and etcs. between Bhutan and India.

1. For over a year back,  it was said that India will be electrical power surplus. And Bhutanese hydro power projects will not have assurred future market in India.

2. This time it is being said that energy requirement in India is huge. And co-operation between Bhutan and India in hydroprojects is " win-win " ( courtesy Kuensel article on  formalisation of GOI assistance to Bhutanese12th Plan ).

3. The undeniable fact is that India is a huge developing nation with several metropolitan regions under clouds of smog.

4. India,  therefore, needs clean  hydro-electricity energy like a desert needing water.

5. However,  if India had succeeding in her endeavour to woo Nepal away from China by offering generous hydro project deals, Bhutan was not worth the attention.

6. Fortunately for Bhutan, Nepal whilst very interested in  preserving the ties with India, had moved forward in expanding geo-political and economic relationship with China including hydro projects, military and transit investments.

7. India is unable to stop Sino- Nepal hydro projects etcs because of geography.  But India has put an end to pipeline dream of Bangla- Druk hydroproject because of geographical advantage India enjoys.

8. Ofcourse if India wants to screw Bhutan which she does in many different ways, she can easily forgo electricity import from Bhutan and carry out another Doklam type military transgession. This time in Southern Bhutan under the pretext of securing her national security interest. The same ludicrous reason for stopping Southern Bhutan Highway.

9. What stops India from cornering Bhutan to the ulitimate edge of the ledge is that successive Indian Administrations at New Delhi have been haunted by the inscrutable genes of the 3rd King of Bhutan.

10. I do not think that India will ever forget HM King Jigme Dorji Wangchhuk because of the Royal no nonsense demand for UN Membership of Bhutan and recognition of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation before India did. And His Majesty the King never ever under valued the priceless gem of China  factor for Bhutanese sovereignty.

11. The respect and wariness of India for the 3rd King was such that PM Indira Gandhi of India was able to issue the ultimum to the Choegyal of Sikkim only after the sudden death of the King of Bhutan. Bhutan did not suffer the same fate of Sikkim perhaps because of the same priceless China factor that the Great far sighted 3rd King had nourished.