Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on Monday arrived in Gujarat for a three-day visit to the State.
This visit underlines the strong diplomatic ties between India and Bhutan, coming just days after a high-level meeting between the two nations’ foreign secretaries.
On Monday, a high-ranking delegation consisting of the King and Prime Minister first landed in Vadodara to visit the Statue of Unity, former Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel’s statue near Narmada Dam in Narmada district.
After a brief stop at Vadodara airport, King Wangchuck and Prime Minister Tobgay departed for Ektanagar, home to the Statue of Unity.
Bhutan’s King and PM as well as their delegation were surprised on seeing such a huge structure, a State government release said.
“Dressed in traditional Bhutanese attire, the foreign dignitaries were received at the Statue of Unity premises by state protocol minister Jagdish Vishwakarma and other senior officials. At the Statue of Unity premises, a guide briefed the delegation members with details of India’s Independence struggle and the role Sardar Patel had played in the freedom movement and subsequent unification of the country,” the release said.
In the visitors’ book, Mr. Wangchuk wrote “Our best wishes to India”.
The delegation members also visited the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada district and were informed about how it plays a key role in solving Gujarat’s water scarcity.
After visiting the Statue of Unity, the delegation arrived in Ahmedabad where they were received by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and senior officials who welcomed them at the airport and then proceeded to the state capital Gandhinagar.
In a separate press release, the State government said Bhutan and Gujarat’s business is growing as exports of goods from the State to the Himalayan country reached $21.98 million.
The State exports ceramic items, electric machinery, marine products, papers and related products, pharmaceuticals and medicines and plastic products to Bhutan.
“A Bhutanese delegation had visited Gujarat in 2014 to strengthen the trade ties and since then the exports of goods from the State has gone up. In the last five years, the exports grew by 52%,” the State government has said in the release.
“PM Modi has given a special emphasis on strengthening bilateral relations with neighbouring countries and as part of that, India’s relations with Bhutan have expanded with India’s trade with Bhutan soaring from $484 million in 2014-15 to $1,606 million in the year 2022-23,” the release of Gujarat government stated.
The delegation is scheduled to visit Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Kutch district and GIFT city in Gandhinagar during their visit.
Published - July 23, 2024 03:00 am IST
