Handshake & Honour | India, Bhutan chart course for stronger ties
New Delhi, Mar 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on his journey to Bhutan on Friday, resuming his postponed two-day official visit originally delayed by adverse weather conditions in the region where he was received at the airport by the Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay and given a rousing red carpet welcome and ceremonious official welcome.
In Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan, the PM was received by the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck at Tashichhodzong Palace, for an audience with the king.
The PM was welcomed with a traditional Chipdrel procession and presented with the guard of honour by the Royal Bodyguards, Royal Bhutan Army, and Royal Bhutan Police.
PM Modi held talks with the King of Bhutan.
Renewing their commitment to the special and unique India-Bhutan friendship, the leaders reviewed the bilateral ties and discussed ways to take them to the next level.
PM Modi and Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay also convened a meeting in Thimphu, marking a significant bilateral meeting underscored by the warmth and hospitality of the country and people of Bhutan.
PM Modi thanked the gracious and memorable reception he received from the Bhutanese people during his journey from Paro to Thimphu where thousands of people were standing with the India-Bhutan friendship flags waving and cheering the Prime Minister's entourage.
The discussions between the two leaders encompassed various dimensions of the enduring bilateral relationship, emphasising a commitment to bolster cooperation across diverse sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, youth exchange, environmental conservation, forestry, and tourism.
India and Bhutan share a longstanding bond characterised by unwavering trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding across all levels of engagement.
Before the meeting, PM Modi and Bhutan PM Tobgay presided over the exchange of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements spanning areas such as energy, trade, digital connectivity, space exploration, agriculture, and youth engagement.
Among important agreements were commitments about the supply of petroleum, oil, and lubricants (POL) from India to Bhutan, recognition of official control by the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA), collaboration on food safety standards, cooperation in energy efficiency and conservation measures, sharing of reference standards and pharmacopoeia, vigilance and testing of medicinal products, and a Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) on Space Cooperation.
Additionally, the renewal of the MoU on Peering Arrangement between India's National Knowledge Network (NKN) and Bhutan's Druk Research and Education Network highlighted the ongoing efforts to enhance digital connectivity and knowledge sharing between the two nations.
The bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Bhutan PM Tobgay not only reaffirmed the deep-rooted friendship between India and Bhutan but also set the stage for intensified collaboration aimed at promoting mutual prosperity and development.
During his visit, PM Modi will have an audience with Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth king of Bhutan and father of the present King.
He would inaugurate the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Mother and Child Hospital in Thimphu constructed with the support of the Government of India.
PM Modi’s visit to Bhutan was delayed by a day due to weather and heavy rains in Paro and its surroundings.
He would be in Bhutan for two days and return to New Delhi on Saturday afternoon.
