External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday concluded his three-day official visit to Bhutan, during which he reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation with the country’s top leadership and held discussions on regional and international issues of mutual importance.
“Concluded a productive visit to Bhutan. Touched by the warmth of our unique ties of friendship. Kadrinchey La!” Jaishankar said in a post on X at the conclusion of his visit.
Concluded a productive visit to Bhutan.
Touched by the warmth of our unique ties of friendship.
Kadrinchey La!
🇮🇳 🇧🇹 pic.twitter.com/wcf7Lt483L
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 18, 2026
At the invitation of Bhutanese Foreign Minister and External Trade Minister D N Dhungyel, Jaishankar visited Bhutan from September 16 to 18.
During the visit, the External Affairs Minister received an audience with Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and called on Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. He also held discussions with Dhungyel in the historic valley of Bumthang.
According to a joint press release by Bhutan and India issued after the visit, the two sides reviewed all aspects of bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international issues of mutual importance. They appreciated the progress in strengthening the special and multi-faceted India-Bhutan partnership under the guidance of the King of Bhutan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s support for Bhutan’s developmental goals and priorities, while Bhutan appreciated India’s support for wide-ranging programmes under its 13th Five Year Plan (2024-29).
During the visit, Jaishankar and Dhungyel jointly inaugurated or launched several development projects, including the 65-bedded Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Mother and Child Hospital in Mongar, the Jaganathan Bridge on the Samdrup Jongkhar-Trashigang Highway and the handover of 54 electric vehicles to the Royal Government of Bhutan.
They also marked the transfer of 43 Jersey cows from India to the National Cattle Breeding Centre in Bumthang and laid the foundation stone for the 500-kW Lunana Hydropower Project, mentioned the joint statement.Â
The two ministers expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the Joint Vision on Energy Partnership and welcomed the signing of an agreement on a concessional line of credit of Rs 4,000 crore for energy projects in Bhutan.
The two sides also welcomed progress in cross-border connectivity, including the operationalisation of a new Land Customs Station at Samrang in Assam and progress on the proposed Gelephu-Kokrajhar and Samtse-Banarhat cross-border rail links.
The two countries further welcomed the operationalisation of a UPI-based facility that will enable Bhutanese nationals to make digital payments in India using Bhutanese mobile applications.
Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s support for Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s vision for the Gelephu Mindfulness City. The two sides also agreed to continue cooperation through the Joint Working Group on issues related to the project.
The Indian side reaffirmed its commitment to establish an Immigration Check Post at Hatisar in Assam to facilitate the movement of investors and visitors to Gelephu. Bhutan also thanked India for its decision to establish a special temporary immigration facility at Hatisar to facilitate the entry and exit of third-country nationals for Project 108 Chortens/Stupas on November 1.
The two sides also discussed the renewal of the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit and noted India’s recent notification allowing the export of 17 species of timber wood from Bhutan to India. Bhutan also thanked India for ensuring uninterrupted supplies of petrol, diesel and LPG amid global supply chain disruptions.
On people-to-people ties, the two sides welcomed measures to strengthen cooperation in education, including doubling the number of seats for Bhutanese students from 30 to 60 under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations scholarship and increasing seats from 30 to 55 under the Nalanda University Scholarship Scheme.
The ministers also welcomed the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Nehru-Wangchuck Scholarship.
India thanked Bhutan for its support to its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2028-29 term. India also welcomed Bhutan’s ratification of the Framework Agreement of the International Big Cat Alliance.
The two sides reiterated that India and Bhutan share a partnership based on trust, goodwill and mutual understanding, with close people-to-people contacts.
At the conclusion of the visit, Jaishankar invited Dhungyel to visit India at his earliest convenience.
