China and India are closely observing Bhutan's upcoming election as they compete for influence in the region.
Squeezed between giant arch-rivals India and China , the landlocked mountain kingdom of Bhutan was long isolated by icy Himalayan peaks. But as Bhutan readies to elect a new parliament in Thimphu on Jan 9, China and India are watching the contest with keen interest as they eye strategic contested border zones, analysts warn.
A "cooperation agreement" inked between Bhutan and China in October after talks over their disputed northern frontier sparked concern in India, which has long regarded Bhutan as a buffer state firmly under its orbit. Bhutan is "one of the last barriers" in China's bid to exert influence in South Asia, said Dr Harsh V Pant, an international relations professor at King's College London told AF
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