PM Modi to Visit Thimphu Next Week to Further India's 'Unique and Special' Ties With Bhutan – News18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the invitation of his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay to visit the Himalayan Kingdom next week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday. This trip holds the potential to strengthen India’s “unique and special” ties neighbouring Bhutan, whose PM is currently on a five-day visit to India.

This announcement came after PM Modi and Tobgay held wide-ranging talks in the national capital on Thursday evening. “Glad to meet my friend and PM of Bhutan @tsheringtobgay on his first overseas visit in this term. Had productive discussions encompassing various aspects of our unique and special partnership. I convey heartfelt thanks to His Majesty the King of Bhutan and @PMBhutan for inviting me to visit Bhutan next week,” PM Modi posted on X.

‘Appreciation for India’s role’

The two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral ties in various areas, including infrastructure development, connectivity, energy, hydropower cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and development cooperation. “They (Modi and Tobgay) reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the special and unique India-Bhutan friendship,” the MEA said. “The Prime Minister of Bhutan conveyed his deep appreciation for India’s role as a reliable, trusted and valued partner in Bhutan’s developmental priorities,” it said.

In an official readout, the external affairs ministry said the PM of Bhutan conveyed his deep appreciation for India’s role as a reliable, trusted and valued partner in Bhutan’s developmental priorities. “On behalf of His Majesty the King of Bhutan, PM Tshering Tobgay extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Bhutan next week. Prime Minister accepted the invitation,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

In an earlier statement, the MEA on Wednesday had said Tobgay’s visit provided an opportunity for the two sides to review the progress in the “unique partnership” and to discuss ways to expand the “enduring” ties of friendship and cooperation between India and Bhutan. Tobgay’s visit to India came against the backdrop of China and Bhutan looking at an expeditious resolution of their boundary row that could have implications for India’s security interests.

Last year, Bhutan’s then-foreign minister Tandi Dorji held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. News agency PTI reported that 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. Last August, China and Bhutan agreed to expedite and take simultaneous steps to implement a “three-step roadmap to resolve their festering boundary dispute.

Before that in October 2021, both sides signed an agreement on the “three-step roadmap” to expedite negotiations to resolve their boundary dispute. The signing of the pact came four years after the Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a 73-day stand-off at the Doklam tri-junction after China tried to extend a road in the area that Bhutan claimed belonged to it. Bhutan had said the area belonged to it and India supported the Bhutanese claim.

(With agency inputs)