Nepal and Bhutan

Nepal sits in the lap of the Himalayas and shares a long, open border with India, along Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.

Cultural ties are deep. The Paśhupatinātha temple in Kathmandu, where Śhiva is worshipped as the protector of animals, draws thousands of Indian pilgrims every year. Festivals such as Daśhain (Dussehra), Tihar (Diwali) and Holi are celebrated in both countries.

Relations are shaped by the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which provides for open borders, free movement of people and goods, and cooperation in defence and foreign policy.

An open border means people can cross without a visa or passport. Families on both sides stay connected, and people move easily for work, study, trade or pilgrimage. The two countries also work together to keep the border safe. It is a sign of trust and friendship — compare Kartarpur, where one crossing took decades.

India is Nepal's largest trading partner, sending petroleum, medicines, food and manufactured goods; Nepal sends farm produce, handicrafts and garments.

Bhutan, called Drukyul ('Land of the Thunder Dragon') by its people, is a small, landlocked Himalayan kingdom between India and China. Its border with India touches Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Several important rivers start in Bhutan and flow into India; they water farms and also produce hydroelectric power (electricity from flowing water), one of the biggest areas of cooperation. The Tala Hydroelectric Project, built with India's help, was dedicated to both peoples in 2008.

Bhutan and India share a heritage of Buddhism. Bhutanese pilgrims visit Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Udayagiri and Sikkim. Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) brought the Vajrayāna school of Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century CE, and the dragon on Bhutan's emblem is said to stand for 'the thunderous voice of the Buddha's teachings'.

Three schools of Buddhism grew in ancient India and spread to the neighbours:

• Theravāda ('School of the Elders', around the 3rd century BCE) — closest to the Buddha's original teachings; followed mainly in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar.
• Mahāyāna ('Great Vehicle', around the 1st century BCE) — went to China, Japan and Korea, where schools like Zen grew.
• Vajrayāna ('Diamond Vehicle', or Tantric Buddhism, around the 6th century CE) — uses mantras, mandalas and visualisations; Tibetan Buddhism came from it.

Bhutan also created the Gross National Happiness index, a fuller measure of progress than GDP alone, including sustainability, good government and culture.