Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bhutan next week at the invitation of Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Modi met Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay yesterday in New Delhi who is on a five-day visit to India.
Tobgay is on his first international visit after coming to power in January this year. At the meeting, both the leaders discussed a wide range of economic, trade and strategic issues.
“Glad to meet my friend and PM of Bhutan @tsheringtobgay on his first overseas visit 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,” Modi posted on X.
Both the leaders are likely to have discussed developing geopolitical concerns regarding Bhutan’s boundary talks with China along with other development projects.
Under Tobgay’s leadership, Bhutan has announced an economic stimulus package worth Rs 1,500 crores, which will be supported by India to address economic slowdown and bolster various sectors.
In November, Bhutan and China signed a “cooperation agreement” outlining the need to demarcate the boundary between the two countries after their 25th round of border talks in Beijing. Recently, China stepped up its effort to establish full-fledged diplomatic ties with the Himalayan kingdom. Beijing has attempted to stake a claim to Doklam. Beijing’s attempt to build a road in the Doklam plateau in 2017 resulted in an India-China stand-off triggering tensions between the two neighbours.
China and Bhutan do not have diplomatic relations but maintain contact through periodic visits by officials. While Beijing resolved the boundary disputes with the 12 other neighbours, India and Bhutan are the only two countries China has yet to sign the border agreements.
Recently, foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra visited Bhutan and engaged in discussions on development partnership, space, energy, trade, technology, and people-to-people ties.
