Bhutan gets biggest boost in India's budget allocation
India's latest budget just dropped, and Bhutan is getting the biggest chunk of neighborly support—₹2,288 crore, which is ₹338 crore more than last year's revised estimate (2025-26) of ₹1,950 crore.
Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan also saw their aid bumped up. Meanwhile, Maldives and Myanmar got a little less this time around.
India is shifting its focus in the region
These changes aren't random—India's shifting its focus in the region.
Aid to Bangladesh was cut in half after political shake-ups there, hinting at some diplomatic tension.
At the same time, India is clearly investing more in ties with countries like Bhutan and Nepal.
Plus, with the Ministry of External Affairs's budget rising to ₹22,118 crore (but nothing set aside for Iran's Chabahar Port), it's clear India is being strategic about where its money—and attention—goes in South Asia right now.