Sacred relics of Lord Buddha, after they were brought from India, in Bhutan. Photo credits: @DrSJaishankar/X via PTI Photo

The Maldives, which was in hot water over boycott calls, has seen a hike in budgetary allocation for the Maldives from ₹400 crores in 2023-24 to ₹770.90 crores in the current fiscal.
| Photo Credit: AFP

India’s neighbourhood received a substantial share of the annual allocation under the Ministry of External Affairs for the 2024-25 interim budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday. Out of all the countries in the neighbourhood, Bhutan has received ₹2,398.97 crores as allocation for the current fiscal year while Nepal has come second with ₹650 crores for various development projects currently underway in the Himalayan country. For 2024-25, Nepal has received an allocation of ₹700 crores.

The Maldives which has been in news recently because of anti-India protests as well as remarks from its top leadership has seen a substantial bump in allocation. The allocation for the Maldives for 2023-24 was ₹400 crores which went up to ₹770.90 crores this time. This indicates that India is increasing investments in the archipelago nation. 

Indian projects in Bangladesh under current fiscal will receive ₹130 crores and ₹220 crores have been allocated for Afghanistan which is governed by the Taliban that is yet to find official recognition from India. Sri Lanka will receive ₹60 crores of the allocation for the current fiscal. Conflict struck Myanmar has received ₹370 crores in the current fiscal.

Explained | How is the interim Budget different from Annual Budget?

Among the island nations of the Indian Ocean, Seychelles, and Mauritius have received ₹9.91 crores and ₹370 crores respectively in the current fiscal. The port of Chabahar in Iran will receive an ₹100 crores as funding. ₹3,849 crores have been allocated for Lines of Credit under the Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme. Reflecting India’s growing engagement with African nations, the budget has allocated ₹200 crores for the African development projects; the figure is as per revised estimate for current fiscal.

Projects with Eurasian countries and Latin American countries have been allocated ₹20 crores and ₹30 crores respectively. Cultural and heritage projects have been allocated ₹10 crores in the current fiscal. The expenditure will increase during 2024 to 2025 and may touch ₹15 crores. 

The King will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. He will also visit Assam and Maharashtra, according to the MEA. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck will begin an eight-day visit to India on Friday, a trip that comes amid renewed push by Bhutan and China for an early settlement of their lingering boundary dispute.

Announcing the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it would provide an opportunity to both sides to review the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and to further advance the “exemplary” partnership.

The King will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. He will also visit Assam and Maharashtra, according to the MEA.

“The King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, accompanied by senior officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan, will be on an official visit to India from November 3 to 10,” it said.

“India and Bhutan enjoy unique ties of friendship and cooperation, which are characterised by understanding and mutual trust,” the MEA said.

The Bhutan King’s visit to India comes against the backdrop of new momentum in boundary talks between Bhutan and China.

Last week, Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.

A Chinese readout on the talks said Bhutan firmly abides by the one-China principle and stands ready to work with China for an early settlement of the boundary issue and advance the political process of establishing diplomatic relations.

New Delhi has been keeping a close eye on the negotiations between Bhutan and China on their boundary row as it could have implications for New Delhi’s security interests, especially in the Doklam tri-junction.

In August, China and Bhutan agreed to expedite and take simultaneous steps to implement a “three-step road map to resolve their festering boundary dispute.

In October 2021, Bhutan and China signed an agreement on the “three-step road map” to expedite negotiations to resolve their boundary dispute.

The signing of the pact came four years after the Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a 73-day stand-off at the Doklam tri-junction after China tried to extend a road in the area that Bhutan claimed belonged to it.

The India-China stand-off in the Doklam plateau in 2017 even triggered fears of larger conflict between the two neighbours. Bhutan had said the area belonged to it and India supported the Bhutanese claim.