PM Modi, Bhutan King resolve to expand 'exemplary' bilateral ties

India and Bhutan on Thursday vowed to further expand their "exemplary" partnership across all sectors with Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying to Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck New Delhi's strong commitment to the economic development of the Himalayan nation.

 

Shortly after Wangchuck arrived here on a two-day trip, he and Modi held talks focusing on boosting cooperation in diverse areas, including clean energy partnership, trade and investment, space and technology.

 

Modi reaffirmed India's abiding commitment to its enduring bonds of friendship and cooperation with Bhutan, and reiterated continued and full support to the socio-economic development in Bhutan based on the priorities of the Bhutanese government, according to a joint statement.

 

In the talks, the prime minister reassured New Delhi's continued support for the Gelephu Mindfulness City initiative, a project spearheaded by Wangchuk to catalyse Bhutan's development and strengthen linkages with adjoining border areas in India.

 

The Bhutanese King was received at the airport by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in reflection of the importance India attached to the visit.

 

In a post on 'X', Modi said he admires Wangchuck's vision for Bhutan's progress and regional development. "We remain committed to advancing the unique and enduring partnership between India and Bhutan," he said.

 

The King is accompanied by Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck and senior officials of the Bhutanese government.

 

Following the talks, Prime Minister Modi hosted a lunch in honour of the King and the Queen.

 

The joint statement said Modi and Wangchuck positively assessed the expanding bilateral partnership, including in areas of trade and economic connectivity, infrastructure, energy, skill development, education, health, digital economy, space technology, environment conservation, and people-to-people contacts.

 

The prime minister and the King expressed satisfaction at the "excellent" state of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening these exemplary relations, it said.

 

The King conveyed appreciation for the "invaluable" support that India provides for Bhutan's socio-economic development, it said.

 

The Bhutanese side thanked India for stepping up the development support for Bhutan under the 13th Five Year Plan (2024-29) and India's support for Thimphu's economic stimulus programme, it added.

 

The King shared with Modi the progress in implementation of his vision for the Gelephu Mindfulness City Special Administrative Region, and how India and Bhutan can work together on the project for the betterment of the two peoples and the region, it said.

 

The two leaders also reviewed recent progress in strategic partnerships in the energy sector, including the non-hydro sector.

 

According to the joint statement, Modi and Wangchuck expressed satisfaction that the 1020 MW Punatshangchhu-II hydropower project was nearing completion and looked forward to its commissioning in the near future.

 

The leaders agreed on the need for an early conclusion of the Punatsangchhu-I hydropower project.

 

The two sides reiterated the importance of cooperation in the hydropower sector, and their commitment to advancing it, including through finalising modalities urgently for new projects, including reservoir hydro projects, the statement said.

 

The two sides also reviewed various projects, including the establishment of two cross-border rail links and boosting digital connectivity.

 

The King's visit to New Delhi comes amid China's efforts to establish formal diplomatic relations with Bhutan.

 

The two sides are also looking at an expeditious resolution of their festering boundary row that could have implications for India's security interests.

 

Over a year back, Bhutan's then Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.

 

A Chinese readout on the talks said Bhutan firmly abides by the one-China principle and stands ready to work with Beijing for an early settlement of the boundary issue.

 

New Delhi has been keeping a close eye on the negotiations between Bhutan and China on their boundary row as it could have implications for New Delhi's security interests, especially in the Doklam tri-junction.