New Delhi: Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to discuss ways to strengthen their bilateral cooperation in various fields, including economic development.
The King arrived in India on Monday for a two-day visit amid some worries in New Delhi about China’s growing influence over Thimphu.
Some comments by Bhutan’s Prime Minister Lotay Tshering on the Doklam tri-junction were perceived by many as the Himalayan country warming up to Beijing, though Bhutan asserted that there is no change in its position on the border issue.
It is understood that the meeting between PM Modi and King Wangchuck focused on ways to enhance their bilateral relations.
The King was welcomed at the Delhi airport by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a special gesture that showed the importance New Delhi gave to the visit.
On Monday evening, Mr Jaishankar met with the visiting leader and said the King’s vision for Bhutan’s future and for deepening the unique partnership with India is highly valued.
Bhutan is a strategically vital country for India and the defence and security ties between the two sides have seen significant growth in the last few years.
The strategic ties witnessed an upward trend in the last few years against the backdrop of a 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam tri-junction in 2017.
The Doklam plateau is considered an important area for India’s strategic interest. The standoff at Doklam tri-junction in 2017 started after China attempted to build a road in an area that Bhutan claimed as its own.
India strongly opposed the construction as it would have affected its overall security interests. The India-China standoff was resolved after several rounds of talks.”
Bhutan and China agreed on a “three-step roadmap” in October 2021 to speed up the talks on their unresolved border issues.
The two countries have a border of more than 400 km and have conducted over 24 rounds of negotiations to settle their differences.
The Prime Minister of Bhutan recently stated that China has an equal role in solving the Doklam dispute, which is a trijunction area with India.
India has been Bhutan’s main trade partner and the largest source of investments for Bhutan.