Evening star., 1949-08-14
HimoIoyon Diplomacy

tween India and the small SUBJ Himalayan
state of Bhutan draws attention to the
diplomatic readjustments going on be-
tween the new Dominion of India and its
northern neighbors, including Tibet. Such
a readjusting process was needed from the
moment when British rule over India came
to an end and an Indian government
succeeded to the conduct Of foreign affairs.
Bhutan is the easternmoSt OF three
states which fringe midas northern
border. 1t is median in size and popula-
ton between relatively large Nepal and
tiny Sikkim which is wedged between the
others. The basic characteristic of all
these states is that, though lying on the
southern side of the main Himalayan
mountain range, which geographically
separates the Indian subcontinent from
Tibet, they have been traditionally bound
more closely to Tibet than to their Indian
neighbors In all three the population is
bascally Mongoloid, akin to the Tibetan
stock, while the prevailing religion is
Buddhist of the Tibetan variety. The
Dalai Lama, temporal and ecclesiastical
ruler of Tibet, is acknowledged in Bhutan,
especially, as the spiritual leader.
Thus sundered racially, religiously and
culturally from the Hindus of Northern
India, and protected by the rough, noun
famous country which they occupy, it is
not strange that these border states have
maintained their identity and jealousy
upheld their autonomy. The British never
attempted to subiugate these noun
taineers treating them as quasiprotec-
torates and paying their rulers annual
subsidies for good behavior. Relations
between the British and Nepal were
especially friendly, Nepal furnishing the
RAJ" with that famous mercenary SOL
diery, the Gurkhas, who did such yeoman
service to the empire for generations.
When the Dominion Government OF
India stepped into Brtain'S shoes, new
diplomatic arrangements between it and
these border states obviously were required.
So far as Nepal was concerned, there was
virtually no change in the traditional pat
tern. It's complete independence was
reaffrmed and India sponsored its appll-
cation for membership in the United
Nations AS for tiny Sikkim, where British
influence had been strongest and where a
SA
origin. its foreign relations were taken
over by India and it became protectorate
closely bound to India though retaining
an autonomous status. In the 1ndo-
Bhutanese treaty just concluded, pro-
tectoral relation is established, though less
intimate than that OF Sikkim. Bhutans
foreign affairs are conducted by India, but
its political identity is guaranteed and 1t
receives subsidy more generous than that
paid by the former British Government.
These amicable settlements with the
border states further the good relations
between India and Tibet. For India, that
is an important matter because Tibet is
a traditional buffer between India on the
one side and China and Russia on the
other. The Tibetans have always jealousy
guarded their identity, and even though
they have long recognized the suzerainty
of China, this connection has been kept
on a nominal basis. The fanatlcally
religious and intensely conservative
Tibetans certainly have no use for COM
munism and fear Russia. Only recently
it appears that the Tibetan Government
ordered a Chinese Nationalist mission to
leave the country on the ground that
some of its members were either disguised
Communists or willing to make deal with
the Chinese Communist regime.
Obviously, it is to India's advantage to
do all in its power to prevent Communist
infiltration into Tibet. Accordingly, 1t Is
not strange to find that an Indian mission
will soon leave for Lhasa, Tibet's remote
"forbidden" capital. The logical aim OF
Indian policy would be the cementing OF
close relations with Tibet and a common
front against Communist aggression. Such
an arrangement would constitute an inn
portant link in an anti-Communist chain
extending athwart all of Asia.
Judee-Mode Law