Manoj Kewalramani in an India Ahead News Panel Discussion

Manoj Kewalramani, Fellow, China Studies at The Takshashila Institution, was part of a panel on India Ahead News discussing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan and China’s increasing influence in South Asia.

The discussion was hosted by India Ahead News’ Sana Khan. Other panelists included Raman Malik of the Bharatiya Janata Party and JK Tripathi, a former Indian diplomat.

Manoj argued that Bhutan remains a strategically important partner for India, given its territorial dispute with China and its refusal to sign on to BRI. India, however, needs to diversify its economic engagement with Bhutan and identify potential shifts in its sovereign interests. This is crucial as Chinese influence in the region expands, permitting greater balancing by states vis-a-vis India.

The video can be accessed below.