Bhutanese PM Dasho Tshering Tobgay will visit India from 14 to 18 March, his first overseas trip since assuming office in January 2023. Ahead of the visit, the Indian Cabinet cleared two key agreements to be signed with the Himalayan nation in the areas of energy and food safety.
Tobgay, who will lead a delegation of senior Bhutanese ministers, will meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi. He is also scheduled to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other Indian dignitaries.
Reports also suggest that PM Modi could visit Thimphu in early April, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
#Bhutan PM on five-day #India #trip on his maiden visit abroad since reelection https://t.co/oTPJ6AH9tG
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) March 14, 2024
Cabinet Clears Agreements
Ahead of the visit, the Cabinet chaired by PM Modi approved the signing of an agreement on cooperation in food safety between the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA), Ministry of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The agreement will mandate the BFDA to issue health certificates according to FSSAI norms for exporting products to India, facilitating trade and lowering compliance costs for both countries.
The Cabinet also approved another agreement on the general supply of Petrol, Oil, Lubricants (POL), and related products from India to Bhutan. The deal is expected to improve bilateral trade in the hydrocarbon sector and allow Bhutan to have a long-term supply of petroleum products.
India-Bhutan Ties
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in its statement that India and Bhutan enjoy exemplary ties of friendship and cooperation at all levels. With a shared cultural heritage and mutual interests, India is Bhutan’s biggest ally in defence and economy. The two sides have enjoyed an amicable relationship for several years now. India is the country’s largest trading partner, accounting for over 80% of its total exports and imports.
Moreover, New Delhi funds several infrastructure initiatives in the country and provides developmental assistance to Thimphu. It also trains and provides equipment and logistical support to the Bhutanese armed forces.
Tobgay, who recently won 30 out of 47 seats in the parliamentary elections, enjoys a good rapport with PM Modi and is often described as pro-India. His victory is expected to add a touch of warmth to the India-Bhutan ties.
China Angle
Tobgay's visit coincides with efforts between China and Bhutan to speed up the resolution of their boundary dispute. The talks are of particular interest to India, as any discussion in the strategically important region would impact Indian interests.
Moreover, any discussion on the Doklam trijunction, which lies close to India’s Siliguri corridor and over which India has previously had a stand-off with China, is also expected to cause concern. Bhutan and China have agreed to push forward the implementation of the Three-Step Roadmap to finish the boundary demarcation process, even as reports emerge about increasing Chinese encroachment on ancestral territories of the tiny Himalayan nation.
As the deal progresses, Bhutan may shift its policy of avoiding diplomatic ties with UN Security Council permanent members, likely establishing relations with China.
Meanwhile, the talks with China are also expected to hinder India’s proposal of a military road connecting Arunachal’s Tawang to Assam’s Guwahati with a motorable road through Bhutan. As China makes inroads into another one of India’s neighbours after having made intrusions in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Pakistan, India must maintain the goodwill and confidence of Bhutan.