Thimphu: Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has arrived in India to begin his five-day visit to India until March 18. This is his first international journey after assuming the cost in January. He is predicted to maintain wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, introduced the Ministry of External Affairs,
“PM @tsheringtobgay of Bhutan arrives in New Delhi on his first overseas visit after assuming office in Jan 2024. Received by MoS @AshwiniKChoubey at the airport,” stated MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Employment, and senior officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan will accompany the Prime Minister of Bhutan,” stated the MEA in an official assertion. Tobgay will even visit Mumbai throughout his visit.
“India and Bhutan enjoy exemplary ties of friendship and cooperation, based on trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels. The visit of the prime minister of Bhutan will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in our unique partnership and to discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation between India and Bhutan,” the MEA added.
In January, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra travelled to Bhutan on a three-day journey, in the primary high-level visit from New Delhi after the formation of the brand new authorities beneath Tobgay.
China-Bhutan boundary row
The Bhutan PM’s visit to India comes towards the backdrop of China and Bhutan an expeditious decision of their festering boundary row that might have main implications for India’s safety pursuits. India has been retaining a detailed eye on the negotiations between Bhutan and China as they might have implications for New Delhi’s safety pursuits.
Around 5 months again, Bhutan’s then-Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. A Chinese readout on the talks stated Bhutan firmly abides by the one-China precept and stands prepared to work with China for an early settlement of the boundary situation and advance the political course of of creating diplomatic relations.
In August final yr, China and Bhutan agreed to expedite and take simultaneous steps to implement a “three-step roadmap to resolve their festering boundary dispute. In October 2021, Bhutan and China signed an agreement on the “three-step roadmap” to expedite negotiations to resolve their boundary dispute.
The signing of the pact got here 4 years after the Indian and Chinese armies have been locked in a 73-day stand-off on the Doklam tri-junction after China tried to prolong a highway in the world that Bhutan claimed belonged to it. The India-China stand-off in the Doklam plateau in 2017 even triggered fears of a bigger battle between the 2 neighbours.
(with PTI inputs)
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