DESCRIBING PRIME Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership as “extraordinary and exemplary”, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck said Friday that with Modi at the helm, India’s future is bright and “a successful India means a bright future for Bhutan”.
Conferring the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, Bhutan’s highest civilian decoration, on Prime Minister Modi — the first foreign leader to be felicitated with this award — at Tendrelthang, Thimphu, the King said, “Nations need a great leader to progress and prosper, but such leaders are rare. A great leader must be compassionate, must care deeply for the country, and be willing to give everything in the service of the nation and people. Additionally, a great leader must be visionary and immensely capable and competent. A great leader must be powerful, not for the sake of power, but to effect real change with the wholehearted support of the people.”
“In my view, Prime Minister Modi embodies all these qualities. He shoulders the responsibility to lead 1.4 billion people, 18% of the world’s population. And his leadership has been extraordinary and exemplary. With him at the helm, India’s future is bright. And as I said before, a successful India means a bright future for Bhutan,” the King said.
Modi, who arrived in Paro airport where an exceptional welcome was accorded to him with people greeting him all along the journey from Paro to Thimphu, met the Bhutan King,
his father — the fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck — and Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.
Modi and Tobgay, who received him at the airport, held a bilateral meeting, and also witnessed exchange of several pacts on energy, trade, digital connectivity, space, agriculture, youth connect among others.
“The two leaders held discussions on various aspects of the multi-faceted bilateral relations and forged an understanding to further enhance cooperation in sectors such as renewable energy, agriculture, youth exchange, environment and forestry, and tourism. India and Bhutan enjoy long-standing and exceptional ties characterised by utmost trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding at all levels,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
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Modi, who met the King in Thimphu, thanked him for the welcome and expressed deep satisfaction at the close and unique India-Bhutan friendship, the MEA said in its statement.
“Prime Minister [Modi] conveyed his appreciation for the guiding vision provided by the successive Druk Gyalpos in shaping close ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation,” the MEA said.
“Recalling that Bharat for Bhutan and Bhutan for Bharat was an abiding reality, the two leaders discussed ways to further the transformative partnership. They explored initiatives to expand bilateral collaboration in the fields of energy, development cooperation, youth, education, entrepreneurship and skill development. The two leaders also discussed progress in connectivity and investment proposals including in the context of the Gelephu Mindfulness City project,” it said.
“India and Bhutan enjoy unique ties of friendship and cooperation, which are characterised by mutual trust and understanding,” it said.
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This is significant especially since China has been talking to Bhutan over the border dispute between the two countries.
During the meeting with the King’s father, fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Modi thanked him for “his leadership, vision and contributions to the strengthening of India-Bhutan relations”.
“Both leaders held discussions on wide-ranging issues related to the India-Bhutan ties of friendship and cooperation as well as on regional issues… The India-Bhutan partnership is characterised by utmost trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding at all levels, which is reinforced by vibrant people-to-people relations,” the MEA said.
While receiving the award, Modi said the “affinity between the people of India and Bhutan” makes their bilateral relationship “unique” while emphasising that “Bharat” resides in people’s hearts in this Himalayan nation. He said the successful endeavour of one country is cheered by the other.
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The Bhutan King said, “We all know that Prime Minister Modi has serious responsibilities with global implications. So we are honoured and happy that he is here today as our guest. The fact that he has chosen to be in Bhutan at this time is a gesture that speaks volumes about his support and friendship for Bhutan.”
“For Bhutan our neighbourhood is of vital importance and Bhutan-India relations, particularly, is a unique and time-tested partnership. It brings us great joy to see India succeed in every field, to see her global stature grow, and her people achieve greater prosperity. Bhutan also stands to benefit when India succeeds; we feel reassured about the future of our neighbourhood,” he said.
“This award presented to Prime Minister Modi is a symbol of our gratitude to India, for having always been our true friend and ally, for our close unity and friendship,” the King said.
“India played an important role in Bhutan’s success in managing the Covid-19 pandemic. Your personal efforts to send timely vaccines to Bhutan made all the difference. For all of us, this visit is an opportunity to thank you in person, for your extraordinary generosity of spirit,” he said.
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The citation of the award read that Prime Minister Modi is an “outstanding embodiment of national, regional, and global leadership. Under him, India has become the fastest growing economy in the world and will be the third largest economy by 2030.”
“Prime Minister Modi has emerged as a figure of destiny, transforming the ancient civilization of India into a dynamic centre of technology and innovation. His commitment to safeguard the environment and invest in renewable energy makes India’s progress truly well rounded. Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has set India on the path of transformation, and India’s moral authority and global influence have grown. PM Modi’s Neighbourhood First policy has strengthened South Asia, and paved the way for collective progress,” it said.
The King of Bhutan had announced the conferment of the award during Bhutan’s 114th National Day celebrations held at the Tashichhodzong, Thimphu in December 2021.
The two sides exchanged several MoUs and signed agreements in the fields of energy, trade, digital connectivity, space and agriculture, and finalised the MoU on the establishment of rail links between the two nations. Modi will also inaugurate a hospital on Saturday, before returning to Delhi.
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Pacts signed
- Establishment of two proposed rail links: Kokrajhar-Gelephu link and Banarhat-Samtse link
- Supply of petroleum, oil, lubricants and related products
- Recognition of official control exercised by Bhutan Food And Drug Authority by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to facilitate trade
- Cooperation in the field of Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation measures to assist Bhutan in enhancing energy efficiency in household sector
- Cooperation in Sports and Youth to help further the people-to-people links
- Cooperation in sharing reference standards, pharmacopoeia, vigilance and testing of medicinal products
- Joint Plan of Action on Space Cooperation for a concrete roadmap
- Renewal of MoU on Peering Arrangement between National Knowledge Network of India and Druk Research And Education Network of Bhutan to enhance digital connectivity
