External Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid will pay an official bilateral visit to Bhutan on 14-15 January 2013. During his first visit to Bhutan, he will receive an audience with His Majesty the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on January 15, 2013. He will also have an audience with His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan.
External Affairs Minister will call on the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Jigmi Y Thinely and hold bilateral discussions with the Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister-in-Charge for Foreign Affairs, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk on January 14, 2013.
India and Bhutan enjoy a special and unique relationship characterized by mutual trust and confidence; deep multi-dimensional, mutually beneficial cooperation including in hydropower development and extensive socio-economic, cultural and religious ties at the popular level. India continues to be Bhutan’s main development partner and its largest trading partner. In 2011 the bilateral trade reached INR 61.6 billion which constitutes 72% of Bhutan’s total imports and 85% of its exports.
New Delhi
January 12, 2013
