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Tranquility beyond borders: the great fourth’s diplomacy of wisdom and harmony

POSTED ON - Nov 12th, 2025

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is indivisible to the eye,” the simple secret from the fox to the little prince in the book, ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry[1]. In the world where outward success is given paramount importance, Bhutan’s quiet diplomacy under the reign of His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo shed the light of peace and harmony not just through words, but through wisdom, humility, and compassion often concealed from the eye, yet sensed deeply by the heart. Many viewed this approach with skepticism, yet it cultivated preemptive peace-a state of harmony achieved before a dispute emerges, through wisdom and compassion. The Great Fourth’s quiet diplomacy personified this vision flawlessly. Bhutan has remained and still remains both sovereign and tranquil through holistic development, non-interference, and measured relationships. It is evident that his diplomacy was never to achieve victory, but harmony; never fame, but to fulfill a greater purpose-a timeless call for peace and compassion.

Bhutan’s Global Example

Quiet diplomacy is often mistaken for passivity, but one cannot undermine the purpose that it serves. The prime example is Bhutan under the benevolent leadership of The Great Fourth. For a country sandwiched between two gigantic superpowers, i.e., the Republic of India in the South and the People’s Republic of China in the North, the list of achievements in foreign relations and diplomacy in the thirty-four years of his reign is unprecedented. The Great Fourth led this small Himalayan Kingdom through a challenging geopolitical landscape. Nonetheless, under his guidance, this Himalayan Kingdom remained steadfast in its values, maintaining goodwill and mutual respect with its neighbors and extending compassion to the world, thereby demonstrating that stability can be achieved without submission. Following the path of his father, His Majesty led the nation through changing times and made adjustments where deemed necessary, thus creating a new face of Bhutanese diplomacy.[2] After Bhutan became a member of the United Nations on September 21, 1971, a gradual engagement with the international community began.[3] Bhutan joined various international conventions and started establishing bilateral relations with countries around the globe.[4]

Regionally, Bhutan’s friendly relations with other South Asian nations fostered stability in the region.[5] As a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Bhutan supported the idea of collaborative efforts in South Asia.[6] Bhutan’s participation here not only established economic collaboration with the other member nations of SAARC but also promoted ‘self-sufficiency’ and ‘independence through mutual reliance’ as emphasized by His Majesty during the 1985 SAARC summit held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[7]

From a Legal and Constitutional Perspective

His Majesty’s principles of sovereignty, cooperation, and neutrality were later enshrined in the supreme law of the land. Article 1 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2008 addresses Bhutan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference.[8] These principles were practiced long before, under the reign of His Majesty, without the official codification of these values. His idea of preemptive peace consequently transformed into a type of “constitutional diplomacy,” wherein compassion, balance, and prudence were officially practiced. When Gross National Happiness (GNH) was formally introduced, it became not just a holistic approach for national policies, but a soft-spoken message from Bhutan to humanity. When others built their diplomacy through rifts and rivalry, His Majesty moulded the art of reverence, integrity, and harmony in the Foreign Policy of Bhutan.[9]

The Great Fourth’s Legacy of Quiet Diplomacy

In the era of political tensions and global politics, Bhutan has remained and continues to remain distinct. Serene and poised, guided by the exact principles His Majesty set in motion when he ascended to the Golden Throne. The quiet diplomacy of His Majesty continues till now, becoming the moral language of Bhutan’s international relations. By demonstrating respect, compassion, and groundedness, Bhutan secured its place globally not through coercion but through a simple secret-a belief in the everlasting values beyond shifting circumstances.

Today, when Bhutan addresses on international platforms, the whole world pays attention not because of Bhutan’s authority, but because it reflects what it advocates for, that is, peace as action, not merely a pledge. This is Bhutan’s message to the world: that a country’s impact does not have to rely on the geographical area that it covers or the amount of power that it holds. It can flow placidly, like the gentle rivers, yet possess the strength to carve mighty mountains. Bhutan may be smaller in its territorial coverage, yet its spirit, guided by His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo’s principles of quiet diplomacy, transverse borders and continues to be His Majesty’s greatest gift to mankind.

Personal Reflections

As our nation celebrates the 70th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, we also celebrate the legacy of peace founded not on force, but on presence. His Majesty’s quiet diplomacy showed that peace is not accomplished by negotiating after conflict, but through wisdom that prevents it. Currently, Bhutan experiences political stability, cultural unity, and mutual respect among the regions reflecting his wisdom in action. For a law student like me, I consider His Majesty’s quiet diplomacy as a testament that the most compelling laws are rooted in compassion and that diplomacy, similar to justice, must listen before communicating. Perhaps this is the most profound lesson of preemptive peace: that sometimes, the softest voice creates the strongest echoes, and just like the fox teaching the little prince that the heart sees what is indivisible to the eye, His Majesty’s wisdom touched countless hearts, leaving a legacy mightier than any display of power.    

[1] Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,The Little Prince, UBC Blogs 48 (2016), The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry.

[2] Thierry Mathou, Bhutan and the World: The Age of Diplomatic Maturity,  How to Reform a Traditional Buddhist Monarchy 27 (2008), https://fid4sa-repository.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/308/1/TraditionalMonarchy.pdf.

[3] Thierry Mathou, Bhutan and the World: The Age of Diplomatic Maturity,  How to Reform a Traditional Buddhist Monarchy 27 (2008), https://fid4sa-repository.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/308/1/TraditionalMonarchy.pdf.

[4] Id.

[5] Id.

[6] Id.

[7] Id.

[8] Bhutan Const. art. 1.

[9] Foreign Policy, RAOnline, 2000, http://www.raon.ch/DB/pages/yana/y_policy01.html.

By Rigxel Yangchen, Class of 2028

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