Newly elected Bhutan Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering is expected to visit India in December. The Bhutan government has proposed to the Indian government the visit dates sometime towards the end of next month, it is learnt.

Quoting Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji, a report in Bhutan daily Kuensel said the proposal was conveyed to Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale who was visiting the country earlier this month. Gokhale had on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended an invitation to his Bhutan counterpart to visit India

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Dr Tandi Dorji said the PM would discuss budget for the 12th Plan and India’s assistance during the plan, among other issues.

Modi, whose visit to Bhutan was postponed earlier this year because of the Parliamentary elections, is expected to visit the neighbouring country in January to take part in the commissioning of Mangdechhu hydroelectric project.

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According to the Kuensel report, the two governments are also expected to finalise the electricity export tariff for the hydroelectric project before the commissioning. The revenue available for Bhutan in the 12th Plan will heavily depend on the tariff of the 720-megawatt project.   

“Knowing the friendly relations with India and the assistance that they have given to the last two governments, we are also hopeful that they would also provide the same to this government,” Dr Dorji  told the Bhutan daily.

India had provided Rs 50 billion, including the Rs 5 billion for the economic stimulus plan, in the 11th Plan.

Dr Lotay Tshering had visited New Delhi in July this year as part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan.