Bhutan’s Highest Civilian Award

Context

• In a recent development, the esteemed Indian Prime Minister embarked on a significant journey to the enchanting city of Thimphu. 
• Two days later, Thimphu was visited by the Indian Prime Minister. This invitation came from the Bhutan Prime Minister. During his visit he also received the civil highest award from King of Bhutan, making himself so honoured first who is not even Bhutanese themselves.

About the Award and the Event

• Unlike others, the National Emblem of Bhutan, “Ngadag Pel gi Khorlo”, points out that the nation that lives in unity has preserved the happenings of concern for its national intelligence and nationhood inside their minds and hearts from time to time. 
• That is, people who are so proud of what they have achieved, women and men and those in the military who are ready to die for each other. What this saga has left in the minds of all of us is engraved in our mind, the benefit and sacrifice of every one of us. It isn’t important here whether the task is big or small; what matters is that it impacts the community or helps its people to feel comfortable and to have good welfare. 
• It stands for a way of appealing to the hearts of other nations, and for telling them: “Know that we are looking you straight in the eyes as we salute you all because it is the right thing to do as you have been displaying what is right through your work.” 
• Hence, the world will have a clearer and positive mental picture of Bhutan because its values will be put out there.
• Recent visit of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to Thimphu, Bhutan, on the invitation of Bhutan’s Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay, he spent two days there for a state visit. 
• Raising the curtain to the visit, Modi was conferred The Order of the Druk Gyalpo, the highest civil decoration of Bhutan, which was bestowed by the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck during the visit. 
• The award of this distinguished award symbolises great friendship between India and Bhutan and expresses appreciation of leaders like him who contributed to bilateral relations and regional cooperation. 
• Modi as a native of India is the first foreign head of government to be awarded the Gyalsay Tashi Namgyal Award, pointing to the time-honoured friendship and high level of trust between the two Countries and advancement of their strategic partner

Bi-Lateral Relations between Bhutan and India so far

• There was an obvious trust, respect, brotherhood and a thought of forever friendship, which laid groundwork of the relationship between India and Bhutan on more permanent principles.
• In the month of January, 1968, the Indo-Bhutanese relations were set to legally function, while since then, the Indian mission located in Thimphu is arriving at an end result on the matter.
• Hence, they are placed on average 25.6 miles on both sides of communities’ boundaries. As a result of that, they have developed such close relativity that they become strong bonds with each other.
• After the 1949 Agreement of Friendship and Cooperation, the two ex-foe nations committed to each other to maintain healthy peaceful relations is considered the cornerstone for building further peaceful relations.
• The small country of Bhutan has left its mark in history due to the fact that it was the first one to declare India’s Independence in 1947. Since that time, India and Bhutan relations have entered a new era of pragmatism.
• The transit of foreign trade of India is the basic building block of Bhutan economy by means of the fact that export and import of the country spills out a lot of money.
• Bhutan embarked on a path to arrive at social-economic planning beginning 1961 when it introduced a Five-Year planning era into the Bhutan landscape for the first time in which the give through year would be as important to consider as any.
• Not only do they place a special emphasis on the free trade field but also they will be an important ally to all the countries mentioned back as they would like to strike the mutual economic goal.
• In 1972, the was brought to the rather it was repeated after 10 years since in 2006.

Conclusion

• Bhutan’s highest civilian award is the “Order of the Druk Gyalpo” (also known as the “Order of the Dragon King”). This prestigious award was instituted in 2008 to honour the contributions of individuals to the welfare and development of Bhutan, acknowledging exceptional service to the nation and its people. 
• The award is particularly significant as it reflects the recipients’ dedication to the principles and values that are deeply embedded in Bhutanese culture and governance, including the pursuit of Gross National Happiness, a unique Bhutanese development philosophy.

Source:NDTV

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q.“Analyse the significance of the recent conferral of Bhutan’s highest civilian award, the ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’, to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Discuss its implications on the bilateral relations between India and Bhutan and its broader impact on regional dynamics in South Asia.” [250 Words]

Download as PDF