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A Bhutanese man looks out over mountains in the South Asian nation. Photo: AFP

Bhutan aims to sell Southeast Asia on its 21-year ‘mindfulness city’ project

The tiny Himalayan kingdom is looking to raise US$100 million to get its planned special administrative region off the ground.

What is Bhutan’s authentic food like? Tourists rarely taste it

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Review | The Monk and the Gun, Bhutanese political satire, is a triumph

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Opinion | Can democracy in South Asia withstand US-China rivalry?

From rising authoritarianism to political instability, unrest throughout the region has intensified alongside shifting alliances.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens

Opinion | Urgent action needed to save Hindu Kush Himalaya, world’s ‘water tower’

Low snow levels and an alarming glacial melt rate amid an Asian heatwave underline the need for countries to collaborate in climate action.

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Aman, Como, Six Senses and more – the best luxury resorts in Bhutan

How many other countries have five Aman resorts but no McDonald’s? We travel around Bhutan to find the best luxury accommodation in all the main tourist centres in the Himalayan kingdom.

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Ethnic Nepali prisoners in Bhutan await justice after decades behind bars

At least dozens of political prisoners are still being held in Bhutan’s jails, according to human rights organisations.

Omnath Adhikari was arrested in 2008 and is serving a life sentence at Chemgang prison in Bhutan. Photo: Ram Karki / Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan

Music, dance, sport at 12,000ft: Bhutan’s Royal Highland Festival

Attended by the king and villagers from across the country, Bhutan’s high-altitude Royal Highland Festival involves dancing, horse racing, wrestling and other trials of strength.

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Meetings with India could affect Bhutan’s border talks with China, analysts say

Reciprocal trips by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart, Tshering Tobgay, are said to strengthen ties but could disturb Thimphu’s border negotiations with Beijing.

Is India’s billion-dollar aid to Bhutan aimed at curbing China’s influence?

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made his recent visit to Bhutan a priority despite the possibility of violating pre-election rules.

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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck greet each other during the conferment ceremony of the Order of the Druk Gyalpo award to Modi in Bhutan’s capital Thimpu on March 22. Photo: AFP

India-friendly Bhutan walks tightrope as it seeks to end border row with China

While Bhutan relies on India economically, Delhi also needs to ensure Thimpu remains an ally amid Beijing’s increasing presence and influence in the kingdom, analysts say.

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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) and his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay meet in New Delhi on March 14. Photo: PIB/AFP

Chinese village construction in disputed zone outpaces China-Bhutan border talks

At least three villages have been built in the mountainous region separating the two countries, with some doubling in size.

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Bhutan eyes surge in national happiness with US$15 billion hydropower push

The kingdom, which uses a Gross National Happiness index, is looking to unlock value in its abundant lakes and rivers through partnerships with India.

Ex-Bhutan PM’s party wins election as economic strife hits ‘national happiness’

Tobgay’s People’s Democratic Party won nearly two-thirds of seats in parliament, local media reported, with the 58-year-old conservation advocate expected to become premier for the second time.

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Former prime minister Tshering Tobgay’s party won Bhutan’s election won according to local media. Photo: AFP

India keeps wary eye on Bhutan polls amid kingdom’s warming ties with China

Bhutan, ‘one of the last barriers’ in China’s bid to exert influence in South Asia, will elect a new parliament next week.

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Tourists walking across a suspension bridge over the Puna Tsang Chhu River in Punakha province in Bhutan. Photo: AFP

Opinion | The climate crisis isn’t taking a break, but neither are we

Climate change now dominates discourse, more governments have net zero pledges, cleantech spending has surged, renewable energy is cheaper and EV technology is improving.

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Opinion | India’s anti-China electricity trade guidelines could backfire in South Asia

Efforts to freeze out Chinese investment in power projects in South Asia will do little to improve India’s economic or soft power in the region. Likewise, undermining the development of a liberal market for cross-border power trade in the region limits gains towards energy security.

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India fears Bhutan will cede land to China. Can a king’s visit calm nerves?

Bhutan-India ties have historically been strong, and New Delhi has wielded influence in trying to take care of Bhutan’s security interests.

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Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck gestures during his visit at the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati on November 3, 2023. (Photo by Biju BORO / AFP)

Why Bhutan’s tilt towards China may ‘significantly change’ regional dynamics

Negotiations on border dispute and diplomatic ties moved forward when Bhutan’s top diplomat visited Beijing. The small Himalayan kingdom is sandwiched between two Asian giants competing for influence.

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In ‘big test’ for India, China and Bhutan push for official ties and border fix

Chinese and Bhutanese officials wrap up new round of border talks and agree to work towards formal diplomatic relations, signalling thaw in ties that analysts say could be a setback for New Delhi’s security efforts in the Himalayas.

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Thousands attend Bhutan’s ‘masked dance’ festival

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Boosting Bhutan: kingdom cuts daily tourist fee by half to lure more visitors

Bhutan is wary of the impact of mass tourism and bans mountain climbing to preserve its peaks, so the Sustainable Development Fee limits visitor numbers, but increasing it to US$200 a night has put too many people off.

The Buddha Dordenma statue overlooks the town of Thimphu, Bhutan. Photo: Reuters

Asia has 14 of the world’s top 25 shortest countries – can you guess who’s No 1?

There’s around a 20cm difference between children in the tallest and shortest nations, studies have found. Genes are part of the reason, but environmental factors such as poor diet could be more important.

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Nepal cracks down on ‘refugee scam’ that could impact ties with China, India

Nepal’s ex-home minister, Balkrishna Khand was arrested for his role in a scam that duped young Nepalese out of money on the promise they would be sent to the US as refugees from Bhutan.

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Opinion | Is the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation still relevant?

Paralysed by India-Pakistan enmity and with Afghanistan’s status in limbo, with members unwilling to recognise the Taliban government, SAARC is becoming moribund.

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People release black balloons to protest against alleged Indian aggression in Indian-administered Kashmir on India’s Independence Day, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on August 15 last year. Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir. Photo: EPA-EFE

As China and Bhutan wind down border feud, alarm bells ring in India

China’s talks with Bhutan prompted India to send its foreign secretary over for meetings with the kingdom’s leaders.

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Students at the Royal University of Bhutan in Thimphu. China has previously offered Bhutan a “swap” of the disputed territories as part of negotiations to resolve their border feud. Photo: AFP

Our hike to Tiger’s Nest monastery along newly restored Trans Bhutan Trail

The Trans Bhutan Trail, used for centuries for travel between villages in the Himalayan kingdom, fell into disrepair. Now it has been restored and reopened – a boon to natives and visitors alike.

Meet Bhutan’s Queen Jetsun Pema, the ‘Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’

She met her to-be husband when she was just seven and he was 17, but got married at 21 … what else do you know about Bhutan’s beautiful “Dragon” Queen Jetsun Pema?

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Bhutan
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Bhutan. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Capital
Thimphu
Head of State
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Head of Government
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay
last updated:
25 September, 2024
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