The Gelephu Special Administrative Region, hydropower and other renewable energy projects, trade and space technology were among the topics that featured in the conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk on Thursday.
The King and Queen of Bhutan are on a two-day visit to India from 5 to 6 December. Bhutan’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Gem Tshering also travelled as a part of the delegation.
The “Gelephu Mindfulness City” or economic hub, a pet project of Wangchuck located close to the Indian border, and India’s support for Bhutan’s 13th Five Year Plan (2024-29) and Economic Stimulus Programme were among the major issues that figured in the discussions between the two leaders.
The Bhutan Prime Minister briefed Modi on the progress in implementing his vision for the Gelephu special administrative region, and how the two countries can work together on the project for the benefit of the region.
The joint statement released by the two leaders after their bilateral meeting stated that PM Modi reassured the Bhutan king of India’s continued support for the project, which “will bring prosperity and well-being in Bhutan and also the border areas, and further strengthen economic and investment linkages between the two countries.
“The leaders agreed on the need for early conclusion of the Punatsangchhu-I hydro power project,” the joint statement said.
Clean energy is one of the major areas where the two countries share a bilateral relationship. The two leaders also reviewed the non-hydro renewable energy ties, including potential strategic partnerships between Indian and Bhutanese firms, which would give the entities in Thimphu access to financing and energy markets from New Delhi.
The joint statement said the Bhutanese side thanked the Indian government for stepping up development support under the 13th Five Year Plan (2024-29) and for backing Bhutan’s Economic Stimulus Programme.
Earlier this year, India had announced that it will double its financial support to the Himalayan kingdom—from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore—between 2024 and 2029.
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