A good neighbour important for happiness: PM Modi tells Bhutan

Thimphu: In comments that may be seen as reference to China and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday night said having a good neighbour is important for a country`s happiness and in its absence a nation cannot live in peace despite prosperity.

He made the remarks while reminding Bhutan that one of the factors responsible for its happiness was having a good neighbour like India. "In the guarantee of happiness, it is important what kind of a neighbour you get. Sometimes you get such a neighbour that inspite of having all the happiness and prosperity, you cannot live in peace," Modi said while speaking at a banquet hosted by Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. Though he did not name any country, the comments could be seen as reference to China and Pakistan because of which India has been uneasy despite its economic progress. On a two-day visit here, his first foreign destination since taking over around three weeks back, Modi reassured Bhutan about continued special treatment by India despite the change of government in Delhi. The assurance assumes significance as China has been trying to win over Bhutan recently. Modi tonight assured Bhutan that India is committed to its happiness and progress even though the government in Delhi has changed, as he specified areas like peace, security, conservation and tourism for focus of pushing the ties. Speaking at the banquet, he said India and Bhutan are "made for each other" considering the "glorious" traditional linkages between the two countries. "I said a while back B for B (Bharat for Bhutan and Bhutan for Bharat), I said it just like that but later I realised that it must be a sign from God that I said this," Modi said. Referring to Bhutan`s unique trait of laying thrust on `Gross National Happiness` rather than Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Modi said one of the parameters for measuring this could be the consideration that it has a "neighbour like India".