On April 3rd, 2023, Monday, Bhutan King Jigme Wangchuk is all set to commence his 3-day visit to India. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Bhutan king will be accompanied by Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Dr. Tandi Dorji, and other senior officials are invited by Droupadi Murmu, President of India. Both countries will review their bilateral cooperation and discuss it and further advance the bilateral partnership, during his visit. He will be holding a  talk with President Droupadi Murmu, PM Narendra Modi, and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar during his visits to India. 

The President of India said while welcoming the delegation that we extremely value the complex and unique friendship between both the countries. She further added that this year Bhutan would graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LCD) and embark on the path of becoming a High Income Economy by the year 2034. The revised Bilateral Agreement on commerce, transit, and trade between the two countries came into effect in 2017 and would be valid for the next 10 years. The basic framework of India-Bhutan relations was signed in 1949 and was renewed in February 2007 between them.  

The visit of Bhutan King Jigme Wangchuk will give a chance to India and Bhutan to evaluate their whole range of bilateral cooperation as both of them have a special bond of friendship and cooperation which is defined by their mutual trust and understanding. His visit is in keeping with the long-standing tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the countries and had nothing to do with the recent controversy in the media of India over the remark attributed to Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering that China has an equal say in resolving the Doklam tri-junction dispute. 

India continues to be a primary source of investment as well as it has been a top trading partner to Bhutan. The government of India formalised the beginning of 7 new trade routes from Bhutan’s bilateral and transit trade in the year 2022, November. Some new market access was also provided for allowing the formal export of 12 agri-products from Bhutan to India as well as several exceptions for export are also provided. Since the early 1960s, India has been increasing economic assistance towards Bhutan’s socio-economic development when Bhutan launched its Five Year Plan. 

India assisted Bhutan with INR 4500 crore for various multi-sectoral project-tied assistance, Direct Budgetary Support, and small development projects for the 12th five year plan. The unique relationship between the two countries has been maintained by a custom of frequent high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan. It has been observed that some of the high-profile visits will be made by the prominent individuals, such as Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in the year 2019, 2022 April and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the year 2019 August.