Embassy of India

2013-14

A. Excerpts from MEA Annual report wrt Bhutan

The year 2013 witnessed sustained progress in bilateral cooperation in all areas of importance including hydro-power, transport, communications, infrastructure, health, education and culture, information and communications technology, and agriculture.

External Affairs Minister, Shri Salman Khurshid paid an official visit to Bhutan on 14-15 January 2013. He called on the King and Queen of Bhutan and met with Bhutanese dignitaries.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan and Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, the Queen paid a State Visit to India on 23-30 January 2013. The King was the Chief Guest at the 64th Republic Day celebrations held in New Delhi. The Prime Minister of Bhutan, Mr.Jigme Y. Thinley visited India from 7-9 February 2013 on a goodwill visit.

Bhutan successfully held its second democratic elections in July 2013, where after National Security Advisor Shri Shivshankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Smt. Sujata Singh visited Bhutan on 9-10 August 2013 and held wide ranging discussions with the Bhutanese political leadership.

The Prime Minister of Bhutan Mr. Tshering Tobgay visited India on 30 August to 4 September 2013 as his first visit abroad after assuming office. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Mr.Rinzin Dorje. The Bhutanese Prime Minister met with the President Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Shri M.Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid, Finance Minister Shri P.Chidambaram, Home Minister Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Minister of State for Power (I/C) Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia and Leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha Smt. Sushma Swaraj. He held wide ranging discussions on issues of mutual interest. During the visit, upon the request of Royal Government of Bhutan, the Government of India (GoI) agreed to extend financial assistance of Rs. 4500 crore towards the 11th Five Year Plan (2013-18) of Bhutan and Rs. 500 crore towards its Economic Stimulus Plan.

A 14-member National Council delegation of Bhutan led by its Chairman Dr. Sonam Kinga visited India on 24 July to 1 August, 2013. The delegation attended the training programme in the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training (BPST), Lok Sabha Secretariat and met Speaker of Lok Sabha Smt. Meira Kumar and External Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid. The Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) Major General Batoo Tshering paid an official visit to India on 12-17 September 2013 during which he met the Chief of Army Staff and called on Defence Minister Shri A. K. Antony. The Bhutanese Finance Minister Mr. Namgay Dorji visited India on 27-30 November 2013 and held discussions with Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram.

India continues to be the largest trade and development partner of Bhutan. GoI is assisting Bhutan in the construction of three Hydroelectric Projects (HEPs) i.e. Punatsangchhu-I (1200 MW), Punatsangchhu-II (1020 MW) and Annual Report 2013-14 4 Mangdechhu (720 MW). The 12th Empowered Joint Group (EJG), which monitors the implementation of HEPs in Bhutan, met in March 2014 in Thimphu.

The Chukkha HEP (336 MW) celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2013. Bhutan has earned Rs. 4957.6 crore as revenue through the sale of power from the Chukkha plant to India, which has contributed immensely to its socio-economic development. The Dungsam Cement Plant, the largest cement plant in Bhutan, constructed with GoI assistance of Rs. 400 crore, started commercial production in November 2013.

The 4th edition of the India-Bhutan Literary Festival “Mountain Echoes”, sponsored by the India-Bhutan Foundation (IBF), was held in Thimphu on 9-11 August 2013. The 13th meeting of the IBF was held in New Delhi on 19 December 2013. IBF provides support to the organization of seminars, literary festivals and bilateral exchanges.

The King and the Queen of Bhutan paid an official visit to India from 6-10 January 2014. The royal couple were the first foreign guests in two decades to have stayed at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The King met the President, the Vice President, Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Shri Salman Khurshid, Home Minister Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Finance Minister Shri P.Chidambaram, and the Commerce Minister Shri Anand Sharma. During the visit, GoI conveyed its approval to Royal Government of Bhutan’s request for an extension of the repayment period of the existing Rs. 300 crore of Standby Credit Facility by another one year.

A 13-member delegation of Bhutan’s National Assembly led by its Speaker Jigme Zangpo visited India on 13-16 January 2014. The delegation met Speaker of the Lok Sabha Smt. Meira Kumar and other members of Parliament. The members of the delegation also attended seminars on the functioning of the Indian Parliament, which were organized by BPST.

The bilateral meeting on Trade and Transit, at the level of Commerce Secretary,washeldinThimphuon21 January 2014.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mr. Tshering Tobgay on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Myanmar on 4 March 2014. During the meeting, Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh conveyed GoI’s approval to the framework Inter Governmental Agreement on four Joint Venture model HEPs (600 MW Kholongchhu HEP, 570 MW Wangchhu HEP, 180 MW Bunakha HEP and 770 MW Chamkharchhu HEP), and to the implementation of the Kholongchhu HEP.

Close cooperation in educational and cultural field continued. Over 1100 scholarships for various courses were availed of by Bhutanese students during the year. GoI has also committed to extend Rs. 55 crore as undergraduate scholarship to Bhutanese students in the 11th Five Year Plan.

B. Budget allocation to Bhutan under India’s Technical Cooperation Programme

C. Details of Incoming Visits by Heads of State / Heads of Government / Vice Presidents / Foreign Ministers and Equivalent to India in 2013