Thimphu. Do you know that there is a country in the world which has never become a slave of any foreign power till date and it is believed that the impact of future major wars will be very limited on it? This country is Bhutan. This small nation situated in the lap of the Himalayas, which is called the “Land of the Thunder Dragon”, is a living example of the fact that being small in size is not weakness. Bhutan is among those few countries which neither the British Empire, nor the Mughals, nor any other foreign power could enslave. The biggest reason behind this is its geographical location. The high Himalayan mountains, inaccessible hills and dense forests all around provide it protection like a natural fort. For centuries, Bhutan maintained distance from the outside world and this isolation policy kept it away from major wars and invasions. Bhutan’s strength is not limited only to its geographical structure, but its political thinking is also equally important. This country has always followed the policy of neutrality. It is not part of any major military alliance nor does it intervene in international conflicts. Despite being located between two big countries like India and China, Bhutan has maintained balanced and peaceful relations with both. This is why Bhutan is considered a less attractive and non-strategic target in the event of any global war. Another unique identity of Bhutan is its development model. Here, more importance is given to Gross National Happiness than Gross Domestic Product.
In the 1970s, Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, pioneered the idea that a country’s progress should be measured not just by wealth, but by people’s happiness, environmental protection, cultural values, and social peace. The result of this thinking is that Bhutan is today the first carbon negative country in the world. More than 70 percent of the land here is covered with forests and there is a provision in the Constitution that at least 60 percent of the area will always remain forest area. Even if World War III does occur, there are many reasons why Bhutan will remain relatively safe. There are neither large military bases nor strategic resources like oil or gas. The country is largely self-sufficient—energy needs are met by hydropower and food needs are met by organic farming. The most important thing is that Bhutan has nothing to plunder or capture, except peace, nature and prosperity. This is why Bhutan still remains a peaceful, safe and unique example in a world full of war and violence.
Let it be known that today’s world is going through a period of war, conflict and instability. From the Russia-Ukraine war to the Middle East and US military actions, global tensions are continuously rising. History is witness that till now the world has seen two world wars and looking at the current situation, fears of a third world war are also being raised. In times past, powerful nations captured weaker nations, enslaved them, and expanded their empires. India itself has suffered British slavery for hundreds of years.