The External Affairs Ministry on Monday officially announced that Tshering would be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including his foreign and economic affairs minister and top officials.
Lotay Tshering.
India is expected to assure all possible support to Bhutan for its 12th five-year plan during Bhutan’s new Prime Minister Lotay Tshering’s three-day state visit to India from Thursday, it is understood.
The External Affairs Ministry on Monday officially announced that Tshering would be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including his foreign and economic affairs minister and top officials.
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The fact that Tshering has chosen to visit India on his first official trip after assuming office in Thimphu clearly reflected that the Himalayan nation would continue to give top priority to its ties with India, sources pointed out.
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The visit comes at a time when China has been making every effort to woo Bhutan in the wake of last year’s military stand-off with India at the trijunction between India, China and Bhutan. Thimphu had at that time solidly stood by India.
Tshering will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders on bilateral ties as well as various other issues.
Tshering’s visit would provide an opportunity to the two countries to review the progress in India’s multi-faceted partnership and to discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples, sources added.
Tshering’s immediate priority also would be to secure financial support from India for his country’s 12th plan. Bhutan has been following a five-year plan system since 1961. These plans articulate the government’s socio-economic development priorities that are implemented over a five-year period. India has closely been associated with them since the beginning.
New Delhi committed Rs 45 billion for Bhutan’s 11th Plan – about 68 per cent of the total external assistance received. Another Rs 5 billion came in from India as part of the economic stimulus plan.
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