Modi to visit Bhutan this week
It is rare for Indian premiers to make foreign trips after the election dates are announced even as then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the UK in 2009
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make a brief visit to Bhutan this week to signal the importance attached by India to ties with the Himalayan nation, people familiar with the matter said.
With the model code of conduct coming into force following the unveiling of dates for India’s general election, no agreements or major announcements are expected during the visit, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.
Modi is expected to go to Bhutan from March 21-22, and the trip will come days after his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay’s visit to India from March 14-18. It is rare for Indian premiers to make foreign trips after the election dates are announced, though then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited the UK in 2009 to attend a G20 meeting.
“This visit is a lot about signalling,” one of the people cited above said, referring to attempts by the previous Bhutan government led by premier Lotay Tshering to settle a border dispute with China
Tshering stepped up efforts to finalise a deal for demarcating the disputed border towards the end of his tenure last year. Following a string of meetings, Bhutan and China signed a “cooperation agreement” for a joint technical team on the “delimitation and demarcation” of the Bhutan-China boundary.
The people said the signing of such an agreement meant the two sides agreed on some modalities for the demarcation process. Reports suggested that China was pressuring Bhutan on the establishment of diplomatic relations, and Tshering indicated he was open to the idea of establishing such ties.
There were also reports that any border deal between Bhutan and China would involve the swapping of territory, with Thimphu getting territory to the north in exchange for giving up its claim on the Doklam plateau, the scene of a 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in 2017.
The Indian side sent in troops to prevent the construction of a road by the Chinese military in a region claimed by Bhutan at the tri-junction between the three countries. India has kept a close watch on the talks between Bhutan and China because of concerns that they could have a bearing on national security, especially for the “chicken’s neck” or small piece of land that connects the northeastern states to the rest of the country.
During Tobgay’s visit, Modi said India will step up support for Bhutan’s 13th five-year plan, including considering a request for an economic stimulus programme, and New Delhi’s development aid will be geared towards creating infrastructure and building connectivity.
Indian support forms the mainstay of funding for Bhutan’s five-year plans and New Delhi provided aid worth ₹5,000 crore for the 12th plan.
India was the destination for Tobgay’s first foreign visit after assuming office in January. During their meeting, the premiers acknowledged that the exemplary ties of friendship between India and Bhutan are a source of strength for the region, according to a joint statement issued on Saturday.
The two sides also pledged to further strengthen bilateral ties and Modi said India is committed to supporting Bhutan’s quest to become a high-income nation in line with the vision of the Bhutanese king.
Tobgay thanked the Indian government for its development aid of ₹5,000 crore for Bhutan’s last five-year plan, the joint statement said.
India’s development aid will be geared towards developing infrastructure, building road, rail, air, and digital connectivity, and supporting sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, skilling, and cultural preservation, the joint statement said.
Modi appreciated the Bhutanese king’s vision of developing the “Gelephu Mindfulness City”, a green economic zone that is aimed at creating infrastructure and jobs. and said it will lead to sustainable economic prosperity manner and strengthen economic and investment linkages between India and Bhutan.
The Bhutanese side is looking to India to support this flagship project with investment. The two sides are also looking to bolster connectivity through the development of rail and road links and upgrades of trade infrastructure for the seamless movement of people and goods.
Besides the opening of additional points by the two sides for immigration and trade, India’s Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is carrying out the final location survey for two railway links between Banarhat (West Bengal) and Samtse (Bhutan), and Kokrajhar (Assam) and Gelephu (Bhutan).
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