The foreign policy of a state acts as a mirror of that particular state. The reason is that it represents the national interests, vision, and mission of a country to a certain extent. Additionally, the context of the international system, the nature of the country's government, and even the country's status in democracy can be identified if analyzed thoroughly.

The following content is based on the foreign policy of Bhutan under the fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the current king of Bhutan who has reigned over Bhutan since 2008.  During his time, there have been three prime ministers. Even though the king is known to be the head of state, the prime minister is the head of government. According to the National Portal of Bhutan (2023), decisions are mainly taken by the prime minister and the cabinet and then intimated to the king.

Internal and external determinants

Bhutan is a state that has not been known to the world for long. But after many interventions and interferences by the British and Chinese, Bhutan became an independent state but remained dependent on India for economic, security, and a guided foreign policy.

“The fundamental goal of Bhutan’s foreign policy is to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, unity, and enhance the wellbeing and economic prosperity of Bhutan. The realization of this goal hinges on the maintenance of friendly and cooperative relations and collaboration with all countries to promote a just, peaceful, and secure international environment” (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, n.d.).

This landlocked state is relatively small in size and is situated in the global north, sandwiched between giant neighbours India and China. The constant fear of its neighbors intervening in domestic matters has impelled them to create a foreign policy that has a touch of Mahayana Buddhist teachings. Walcott (2011) indicated that Bhutan strives to steer a “middle way” (a frequently invoked phrase of Buddhist balance) and prove that geography is not destiny, learning from models such as Switzerland and Denmark how to prosper on the periphery of big powers. Despite maintaining a close relationship with India, Bhutan is unable to ignore the rising Chinese presence in the region. Adhering to the ‘One China Policy’, Bhutan has been keen on maintaining cordial ties with China despite intimidation on several occasions. However, Bhutan’s relationship with both neighbors is dictated by the ‘Balance of Threats’ phenomenon which influences the making and implementation of Bhutan’s foreign policy.

In terms of economic and industrial development, Bhutan has included the principles such as sustainable development and has even mentioned it in its foreign policy denoting that to sustain and get the maximum benefit of the natural resources in Bhutan, the foreign policy should be aligned with international standards while preserving the values of Bhutan.

Being affiliated with international and regional organizations like the UN, NAM, SAARC, IMF, and World Bank indicates recognition and acceptance from the international community. Thus, its policymakers will make an effort to formulate a foreign policy that will not upset the international community or their people as these connections play a vital part.

Values guiding Bhutan's foreign policy

Bhutan is well known for its philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) - rather than Gross National Product (GNP) - guiding its development. Gross National Happiness, according to the Bhutan Foundation, is a human-centered paradigm that stands on four pillars: Good Governance, Equitable and Sustainable Development.  Good governance may seem to be an idealistic virtue, but as a constitutional principle, it has impacted the foreign policy of Bhutan. Moreover, good governance cannot be achieved without the king, and the legislature, and the trust the people have towards them, especially in the king, is somewhat unreal. However,  the king is the inspiration behind the policymakers crafting a foreign policy that strengthens Good Governance and Leadership for generations to the benefit of the nation.

Bhutan is regarded as ‘the kingdom of happiness’ and also has the reputation of being the first to become the one and only carbon-negative country in the world. The international community sees Bhutan as a peaceful and traditional country, and that has helped its policymakers formulate a foreign policy that maintains its unique status in the world order. Although the above determinants assist to formulate foreign policy, certain other principles play a hidden role. For instance, liberal values, the balance of threat strategy, GNH, SDGs, Bhutanese cultural values, and Mahayana Buddhist teachings are some of them. These support the foreign policy goals of Bhutan even while making it distinctive in a uniquely Bhutanese way. 

(The writer is an Attorney at law as well as an Undergraduate (Reading) in the Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Views are personal. She can be contacted at nishalir98@gmail.com)