India, China should not allow their politics to interfere in internal affairs of neighbours: Bhutan's former premier

The former Bhutan prime minister said India has demonstrated its commitment to its neighbours but they have failed to capitalise on the opportunity for meaningful regional cooperation.He also said that India should be given a permanent seat in the United Nations as the world has much to gain from it.

India and China must ''not allow their politics to interfere in the internal affairs'' of their neighbouring countries, Bhutan's former prime minister Tshering Tobgay said on Sunday. Responding to a question by former foreign secretary Shyam Saran at an event here, he said as long as there is interference in their internal affairs, the countries sandwiched between India and China will find it exceedingly difficult to grow.

“I think both countries India and China must not allow their politics to interfere in the internal affairs of the neighborhood. ''As long as there's interference in the internal affairs in the neighboring countries, I do believe that these countries will find it exceedingly difficult to grow,” he said at a lecture organised by think tank Centre for Policy Research. “China is going to grow, they've already been growing, they're going to keep going. India is growing… and because it has the largest population and the youngest population, its growth trajectory is going to be unstoppable. ''The question is for the neighborhood, those countries that are sandwiched are we going to grow or not,” he added. The former Bhutan prime minister said India has demonstrated its commitment to its neighbours but they have failed to capitalise on the opportunity for meaningful regional cooperation.

He also said that India should be given a permanent seat in the United Nations as the world has much to gain from it. The Bhutanese leader recalled how in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited the leader of all SAARC countries for his inauguration.

No other country outside the SAARC membership was extended that honour. Modi's gesture of goodwill was aimed at bringing together and strengthening all the countries in the neighborhood, he said.

“That message of uniting and fulfilling such potential has somehow not been accorded the urgency and importance it deserves,” he said.

“We must do more. Similarly in 2019, after coming to power for a second term Modi ji invited the BIMSTEC leaders for the inauguration ceremony. ''Once again, we are demonstrating India's resolute commitment towards its neighbours. But once again, our neighborhood has failed to capitalise on the opportunity for meaningful regional cooperation. Like SAARC, BIMSTEC too has a long way to go,” he said. He said the world must call on India to assume permanent membership of the UN Security Council. ''The world has much to gain from it,'' he said.

“A shining example of India's leadership is in the area of climate change… India has not just made bold promises they have been backing up their commitments by courageous action,” he said.

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