Bangkok, April 4 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reiterated India’s commitment to cooperate with Bhutan in various sectors during his meeting with the Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok.
“Had a great conversation with my good friend, PM Tobgay. India’s friendship with Bhutan is robust. We are cooperating extensively in several sectors,” PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.
The meeting allowed both leaders to engage in discussions enhancing Indo-Bhutan friendship.
Expressing his happiness, Tobgay also took to social media and posted, “Always a pleasure to meet my elder brother and mentor PM Narendra Modi ji. Discussed BIMSTEC, enhancing regional cooperation, and furthering Bhutan-India friendship”.
Both leaders last met in February, when Tobgay visited New Delhi to participate in the inaugural Leadership Conclave of the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL).
PM Modi had assured New Delhi’s commitment to deepening the unique and historical partnership between both countries.
India and Bhutan enjoy exemplary ties of friendship and cooperation, based on trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding at all levels. The visit of the Prime Minister of Bhutan kept with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan, a hallmark of the special partnership.
PM Modi visited Bhutan last year, spotlighting close bonds of friendship and cooperation anchored in mutual trust, goodwill and understanding between both the nations.
The joint statement ‘Bharat and Bhutan: Together for Progress and Development’ issued during the visit stated that common cultural links and geography connect India with Bhutan and the strong economic and financial ties bind both nations.
“The enduring partnership between our two nations is anchored in our common values as well as our shared cultural and spiritual heritage. Bharat for Bhutan and Bhutan for Bharat is an abiding reality of the region, nurtured by the enlightened vision of successive Druk Gyalpos of Bhutan and the political leadership in India and Bhutan,” the statement read.
“Since Bhutan’s First Five-Year Plan in 1961, India’s development partnership with Bhutan has been empowering the people and ensuring development across sectors and regions. Our development partnership is a confluence of India’s approach of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ and the philosophy of Gross National Happiness in Bhutan,” the statement further added.
–IANS
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