India has decided to double Bhutan’s assistance over the next five years, from ₹5,000 crore in 2019-2024 to ₹10,000 crore for the period till 2029, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Thimphu on Friday.
Mr. Modi made the announcement after he was awarded Bhutan’s highest honour, the ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’, which was announced in 2021, to acknowledge India’s role in ensuring “Bhutan’s success in managing the COVID-19 pandemic”. After meeting Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, their second time since Mr. Tobgay visited Delhi last week, India and Bhutan inked seven agreements, on cooperation in energy, food safety, sports and research, as well as a space collaboration roadmap.
“We will work on new possibilities for connectivity, infrastructure, trade and energy sectors between India and Bhutan,” said Mr. Modi, while expressing his gratitude for the award from the Bhutanese King. “We will soon see our initiatives for a new airport for better air connectivity, rail links between Kokrajhar-Gelephu and Banarhat-Samtse, and waterways navigation on the Brahmaputra. To strengthen trade infrastructure, we will build integrated check posts (ICPs).” he added.
