World
Indian External Affairs Minister Begins Two-Day Visit to Bhutan
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar commenced an official visit to Bhutan from September 16-17. The visit is at the invitation of Bhutan's Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Lyonpo DN Dhungyel, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday. During his visit, Jaishankar is scheduled to engage in bilateral discussions with the Bhutanese Foreign Minister. He will also have a royal audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and meet with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. The MEA stated that this visit aligns with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan, aiming to further strengthen their existing friendship and cooperation. This visit follows recent high-level engagements between the two nations. In August, a bilateral meeting on trans-border rivers was held in New Delhi. The Bhutanese delegation was led by Lyonpo Gem Tshering, Minister for Energy & Natural Resources, while the Indian delegation was led by Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil. This meeting reviewed cooperation in water resources, focusing on trans-border river management, flood forecasting, flood management, and hydrological data sharing. Progress on the Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project, a joint India-Bhutan initiative in Bhutan, was also reviewed, with discussions on accelerating its implementation. Additionally, discussions included proposals for upgrading Bhutan's hydro-meteorological network and expanding cooperation for sharing hydrological data on transboundary rivers. Both sides reiterated their commitment to sustainable management of transboundary water resources and agreed to deepen cooperation through technical collaboration and institutional engagement. In the energy sector, Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal also met with Bhutan's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Lyonpo Gem Tshering, in New Delhi. This meeting reaffirmed the partnership in the power sector, a key aspect of the bilateral relationship, and reviewed ongoing cooperation while discussing future collaboration in the energy sector.