Bhutan is beneficial to India, and the two nations' defence and security ties have grown significantly in recent years...
Digital Desk: Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck will visit India for three days from April 3 to 5, to enhance bilateral ties. According to the news agency PTI, his visit will be focused on economic and development cooperation.
During his visit, the King will meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reportedly, Ministry of External Affairs, he would be accompanied by senior officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan, including Tandi Dorji, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MEA).
As stated by the MEA, King Wangchuk's visit is part of a long bilateral tradition of high-level contact between India and Bhutan. As per MEA, India and Bhutan enjoy "unique friendship and collaboration connections that are marked by understanding and mutual trust."
The trip allows both countries to assess their whole bilateral collaboration, including economic and development cooperation. According to the MEA, it will also serve to advance their close bilateral partnership. Bhutan is strategically important to India, and the two nations' defence and security ties have grown significantly in recent years.
As quoted in the PTI report, the Doklam plateau is critical territory for India's strategic interests.
In 2017, the Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a 73-day showdown at the Doklam tri-junction when Beijing sought to extend a road through territory claimed by Bhutan. India opposed the building because it would damage its overall security interests. The India-China standoff was settled after numerous rounds of talks.
Bhutan and China agreed to a "three-step strategy" to speed up negotiations to resolve their long-standing boundary issue by October 2021. Bhutan and China have a 400-kilometre boundary. To resolve the boundary dispute, the two countries have had 24 rounds of talks.
Since 1961, India has helped Bhutan implement its consecutive "Five Year Plans," and it gave special aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bhutan's main trading partner has been India. India is however Bhutan's largest investor.
India contributed Rs 4500 crore to Bhutan's XII five-year plan for different multi-sectoral projects, modest development initiatives, and direct budgetary support (2018-23).
Substantial collaboration has also occurred between the two countries in the hydropower sector. In November 2021, India publicly launched seven trade corridors with Bhutan for bilateral and transit commerce. This offered access to new markets for Bhutan's export of 12 agri-products to India, as well as various unique export exceptions/quotas.
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