Cleaning the Indo-Bhutan border

Five years after ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) and Bodo/NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) militants were flushed out from Bhutanese territory, India expressed concern that 30 cadres of these militants might have reentered Bhutan. Though Bhutan denied the evidence of any permanent camps it recognized the possibility of the militants regrouping in the southern forests of the country. The two countries have therefore agreed to “strengthen and intensify border patrolling” with the possibility of some joint patrols. Bhutan’s Joint Secretary of Law and Order Bureau, Karma T Namgyal said that “Bhutan might also set up border outposts, to be permanently manned, to ensure the security of the people there.”

The presence of ULFA and Bodo militants along the Indo-Bhutanese border is of serious security concern to both countries. The dense forests along the border provide good hiding places for the militants to regroup, rearm and plan attacks on Indian soil. Since these camps are located on foreign soil India cannot take police action against them as it would amount to incursion into another country. From the Bhutanese security perspective these militants are said to have established ties with Bhutan’s anti-national groups and provide them training. As stated in the Bhutanese press release during the 2003 operations, the militants’ existence in the region not only undermines “the peace, stability and socio-economic development enjoyed by the Bhutanese people”, but also “threatens the very sovereignty of the country.”

Keeping the Indo-Bhutanese border free of militants is important in terms of India’s relations with Bhutan. It is the only neighbor with whom India has not fought any wars and has no outstanding border issues. The two countries enjoy excellent economic, cultural and military relations. India continues to support numerous developmental projects in Bhutan and provides guidance on foreign affairs. These good relations could be hampered by potential spread of misinformation in Bhutan about India by militants fighting the Indian state.

Good bilateral relations are also important as Bhutan is India’s ‘buffer state’ on the Chinese border. Since the treaty in 1949 India has made constant efforts to ensure that Bhutan does not swing towards China. Chinese claims on Bhutanese territory have only helped the Indian cause. Instability in the Himalayan kingdom would mean a weak buffer in a region where China has been laying claims on Indian territory in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

As seen in the map, a very thin strip of land separates India from its north-eastern states where the ULFA and Bodo militants operate. A stable and friendly Bhutan ensures that New Delhi stays physically connected and accessible to the north-eastern states in case of a full blown conflict with the militants attempting to cut off access to the region.

India is surrounded by unfriendly neighbors and it is in India’s best interests to ensure that it retains the only good neighbor it has left. The ULFA problem is a matter of internal security and it should make all efforts to resolve it internally. By allowing it become Bhutan’s problem India would risk losing an important buffer state and ally.