PM Narendra Modi to visit Bhutan in August

Bhutan was the first foreign visit of PM Narendra Modi after taking charge in 2014. The two neighbouring countries share extremely close ties.

File photo of PM Narendra Modi with Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Bhutan on a two-day visit starting August 17. This will be his first visit to Bhutan since the Doklam crisis in 2017. The crisis saw a two-month-long standoff between Indian and Chinese forces in Doklam which is claimed by Beijing but is part of Bhutan.

New Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering was on a state visit to India in December of 2018. He returned to Delhi in May to take part in the oath-taking ceremony of PM Modi at Rashtrapati Bhawan along with other leaders of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). 

Earlier this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Bhutan, his first visit abroad after taking charge. 

Hydro-power sector is one of the main pillars of India-Bhutan ties with New Delhi building three power projects in the country. Bhutan exports three-fourth of power generated, which is in surplus, to India and uses the rest for domestic consumption.

Bhutan was the first foreign visit of PM Modi after taking charge in 2014. During that visit, he addressed the joint session of Bhutanese Parliament, laid the foundation stone of the 600 MW Kholongchhu Hydropower Project and inaugurated the Supreme Court building which was constructed with Government of India's assistance.