Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, who is on his maiden visit to India after assuming office last month, met Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale here on Thursday. The meeting took place at Hotel Taj Mahal.
Earlier in the day, Tshering arrived in India on a three-day visit to the country at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
His state visit to India is happening during the golden jubilee year of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan.
On Friday, the Bhutanese Prime Minister will receive a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. He will also lay a wreath at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi in Rajghat.
Tshering is slated to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, following which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for delegation-level talks. The two sides are expected to discuss economic cooperation, strategic cooperation and defence among other issues.
Following the deliberations, press statements by the two prime ministers would take place.
Tshering is also scheduled to meet various ministers during his visit, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and Union Minister (Independent Charge) of Power and New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh.
On Saturday, the Bhutanese Prime Minister will meet President Ram Nath Kovind before emplaning back to his country after the completion of his engagements.
"India and Bhutan enjoy exemplary ties of friendship and cooperation, based on utmost trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels. The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in our multifaceted partnership and to discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples," read a statement from the External Affairs Ministry.
In the third general elections in Bhutan in October, Tshering-led Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) swept the polls, garnering at least 30 seats, with royalist Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) winning the remaining 17 in the 47-member lower house of the country's Parliament.
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