Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reached Bhutan’s capital Thimphu on Monday on a four-day official visit that the Bhutan foreign ministry said was “significant” as it was the “first by the chief minister of Assam” and would “strengthen” neighbourly ties.
At the Paro International Airport, Sarma was received by Lyonpo D.N. Dhungyel, Bhutan minister of foreign affairs and external trade; Sudhakar Dalela, ambassador of India to Bhutan; and Kesang Deki, cabinet secretary to the Royal Bhutan Government.
Sarma is accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, principal secretary K.K. Dwivedi and secretaries Lakshmanan S. and Kailash Karthik N.
An official from the Assam CMO, accompanying the chief minister, said Sarma would on Monday evening address a group of around 100 investors on the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0, a global investors summit scheduled in Guwahati on February24 and 25.
Sarma will also attend Bhutan’s 117th National Day on Tuesday as the chief guest and “receive an audience with His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen and call on the Prime Minister”.
“This visit is significant as it is the first visit to Bhutan by Himanta Biswa Sarma after becoming the chief minister of Assam in May 2021,” the official said.
Soon after landing in Thimphu, Sarma posted on X: “Just landed in Thimphu. Thankful to H.E Lyonpo D. N. Dhungyel, Foreign Minister of Bhutan for welcoming Riniki and me at the Airport. I look forward to boosting Bharat’s ties with this beautiful nation during my threeday visit.”
Bhutan’s ministry of foreign affairs and external trade in a statement said: “This visit is significant as it is the first visit to Bhutan by the chief minister of Assam. Bhutan and Assam share a warm, historical bond of friendship and neighbourly connection. This visit will further strengthen these ties, fostering even closer relations between Bhutan and the State of Assam in India.”
Five districts of Assam share a 265.8km border with Bhutan. These districts fall under the Bodoland Territorial Council.
Ties between Bhutan and India got a boost on November 7 with the inauguration of the immigration check post (ICP) at Darranga in Assam’s Baksa district for the entry and exit of third-country nationals travelling between the two neighbouring countries.
Now international tourists visiting Bhutan can enter India through the Samdrup-Jongkhar (Bhutan)-Darranga (India-Assam) border check post and visit tourist sites such as Kaziranga and Manas National Parks or any other states instead of returning to Paro/ Phuentsholing and then entering India.
Similarly, a foreign tourist visiting Assam or the Northeast can enter Bhutan through Darranga.
Sources said Bhutan’s development push was set to benefit both the Himalayan kingdom and Assam and other neighbouring states.
Bhutan plans to redevelop the Gelephu domestic airport and develop Sarpang into a special economic zone, sources said. Both Geluphu and Sarpang are close to Assam’s Chirang and Bongaigaon districts, respectively.
Last year, Bhutanese king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck had announced plans to build an “international city” spanning 1,000sqkm along the Assam border. There are also opportunities in the power sector, the sources said.
The Assam government has also made efforts to strengthen ties with Bhutan by increasing reservation of seats for Bhutanese nationals in the state’s medical colleges before the Bhutan King’s maiden official visit to Assam in Novemberlast year.
