NEW DELHI: India today said it had “intertwined and indivisible nature of security concerns” with Bhutan and both sides remain in close touch in issues related to shared interests, including security ones.
“The Government of India very closely follows all developments having a bearing on our national interest and we will take all necessary steps to safeguard those,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra told the media after a meeting between visiting Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and PM Narendra Modi here. PM Modi met the King against the backdrop of remarks by Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering on the Doklam tri-junction. These were seen as an attempt by Thimphu to cosy up to Beijing. Indian and Chinese armies had faced off at Doklam tri-junction for 73 days in 2017. However, in October 2021, Bhutan and China signed an MoU to expedite negotiations to resolve their boundary dispute.
The meeting saw India offering much improved economic and developmental assistance which would include the Himalayan kingdom’s first railway line, higher credit stand-by facility, more funds for Bhutan’s Five-Year Plan and giving Thimphu considerable leeway to sell power to other countries.
“The visit not only reviews the current gamut of bilateral ties and advances it further in all these areas, but also sketches a roadmap for the next steps,” said the Foreign Secretary. “Besides an exemplary and unique relationship, we have a time-tested framework of security cooperation and both maintain a long standing tradition of very close consultations on matters relating to their mutual interest, including security. Kwatra said the PM assured stepped up support for Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan. India will set up an additional stand-by credit facility.