Bhutan King Wangchuk To Begin 3-Day India Visit Today

Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck will tour India for three days from April 3 to 5, with the goal of strengthening bilateral ties. According to the news service PTI, his visit will be focused on economic and development cooperation.

During his tour, the King will meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, he will be accompanied by top officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan, including Tandi Dorji, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade. (MEA).

According to the MEA, King Wangchuk’s visit marks the continuation of the long bilateral tradition of periodic high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan. The MEA also stated that India and Bhutan have “unique ties of friendship and cooperation, which are characterized by understanding and mutual trust”.

The visit presents an opportunity for both countries to review the entirety of their bilateral cooperation, including economic and development cooperation. It will also help further advance their close bilateral partnership, according to the MEA. Bhutan holds strategic significance for India, and the defence and security ties between the two countries have expanded considerably in recent years. The Doklam plateau is a significant area for India’s strategic interests, the PTI report stated.

In 2017, the Indian and Chinese forces engaged in a 73-day standoff at the Doklam tri-junction after China tried to extend a road through territory claimed by Bhutan. India opposed the building because it would jeopardise its overall security interests. The India-China standoff was resolved after several sessions of talks.

Bhutan and China agreed to a “three-step roadmap” to speed up talks to resolve their long-standing boundary dispute by October 2021. Bhutan and China share a 400-kilometer boundary. To settle the boundary dispute, the two countries have conducted 24 rounds of talks.

India has been supporting Bhutan’s implementation of its successive ‘Five Year Plans’ since 1961, and it provided special assistance to Bhutan during the COVID-19 pandemic. India has been Bhutan’s top trade partner. India is also the highest investors in Bhutan.

For various multi-sectoral projects, small development projects, and direct budgetary support, India provided Rs 4500 crore to Bhutan’s XII five-year plan (2018-23).

Significant cooperation between the two countries has also occurred in the hydro-power sector. In November 2021, India formally launched seven trade routes for bilateral and transit trade with Bhutan. This provided access to new markets for the export of 12 agri-products from Bhutan to India, as well as various special exceptions/ quotas for export.