India and Bhutan have reaffirmed the strength of their longstanding partnership, reviewing a broad range of bilateral, regional and international matters during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s three-day visit to Bhutan.
Jaishankar traveled to Bhutan from September 16-18 at the invitation of Bhutanese Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister Lyonpo D. N. Dhungyel. During the visit, both sides assessed progress across multiple areas of cooperation and welcomed continued momentum in their relationship.
A joint statement issued on September 18 highlighted advances in development cooperation under the leadership of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India reiterated its support for Bhutan’s development priorities, while Bhutan expressed appreciation for India’s assistance with initiatives under its 13th Five Year Plan, covering the 2024-2029 period.
Energy cooperation emerged as a key area of discussion. The two countries noted progress under their March 2024 Joint Vision for Energy Partnership. Recent developments include the commissioning of the 1,020-megawatt Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project and the signing of its tariff protocol. Construction activity has also resumed on the 1,200-megawatt Punatsangchhu-I project.
The countries further welcomed an agreement providing a concessional line of credit worth about $4.6 billion for energy projects in Bhutan. They also noted the growing involvement of Indian companies in Bhutan’s hydropower sector, describing it as an additional driver of bilateral energy cooperation.
Jaishankar also reiterated India’s backing for the Bhutanese King’s vision for the Gelephu Mindfulness City. Both governments agreed to maintain discussions through their Joint Working Group and explore further cooperation connected with the ambitious development project.
Connectivity and easier movement were also addressed. India reaffirmed its plan to establish an immigration checkpoint at Hatisar in Assam to support the movement of investors and visitors traveling to Gelephu. Bhutan welcomed India’s decision to introduce a temporary immigration facility there from November 1, 2026, particularly to assist third-country nationals involved in Project 108 Chortens/Stupas.
The two sides also discussed multilateral cooperation. India thanked Bhutan for backing its bid for a non-permanent United Nations Security Council seat for 2028-2029, while India welcomed Bhutan’s ratification of the International Big Cat Alliance framework agreement.
The visit concluded with both countries emphasizing their close ties, built on mutual trust, goodwill, understanding and strong people-to-people connections.
