Jaishankar meets Bhutan National Assembly Speaker Wangchuk Namgyel, discusses strong economic cooperation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Bhutan National Assembly speaker Wangchuk Namgyel in Delhi on Tuesday and discussed stronger economic cooperation between the nations as well as priorities of youth.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Bhutan National Assembly Speaker Wangchuk Namgyel in Delhi on Tuesday and discussed stronger economic cooperation between the nations as well as priorities of youth. The EAM also interacted with the 13-member delegation of Namgyel and hailed the 'unique' friendship between India and Bhutan.

Taking to Twitter, the EAM wrote, "Pleased to interact with Wangchuk Namgyel, Speaker of National Assembly of Bhutan and his 13-member parliamentary delegation today. Discussed our multifaceted and unique friendship, especially ongoing reform, stronger economic cooperation and the priorities of youth." "Glad that the delegation would have an opportunity to see for themselves the huge changes in India over the last 8 years," the tweet read further.

The basic framework of India-Bhutan bilateral relations was the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1949 between the two countries. It called for peace between the two nations and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. The Treaty was revised in 2007. The diplomatic ties were established in 1968 with the establishment of a special office of India in Thimphu. There are a number of institutional and diplomatic mechanisms between India and Bhutan in areas such as security, border management, trade, transit, economic, hydro-power, development cooperation, water resources etc.

Bhutan shares its border with four Indian states - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim with a length of 699 km and serves as a buffer between India and China. The trade between the two countries is governed by the India-Bhutan Trade and Transit Agreement of 1972.

India is Bhutan's largest trading partner. India has constructed three Hydroelectric Projects (HEPs) in Bhutan: Chukha HEP, Kurichhu HEP, and Tala HEP, operational and exporting surplus power to India. (ANI)

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