PM Modi hosts King & Queen of Bhutan at his residence; border politics with China looms large over meeting

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hosted Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck at his official residence for the first meeting between the leaders of the two nations after India’s four-and-a-half-year-long military stand-off with China along the Line of Actual Control came to its end on October 21.

Like India, Bhutan too has a territorial dispute with China and has been at the receiving end of the aggressive moves by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, which illegally occupied vast tracts of land in the tiny nation.

“Delighted to welcome Their Majesties, the King, and Queen of Bhutan, to India. Admire His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s vision for Bhutan’s progress and regional development,” Modi posted on X after meeting Wangchuk at his official residence in New Delhi. “We remain committed to advancing the unique and enduring partnership between India and Bhutan.”

Thimphu stood by New Delhi during the 74-day-long stand-off between the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan from June 17 to August 28, 2017.

A source in New Delhi said that India had kept Bhutan updated about the negotiations with China for the resolution of the military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh between April 2020 and October 2024, including the latest deal on patrolling in Depsang and Demchok.

Beijing has been pressing Thimphu to speed up the bilateral negotiation to resolve the dispute over the boundary between Bhutan and China. New Delhi, on the other hand, has been nudging Thimphu to safeguard the security interests of India while clinching a deal with China.

Modi and Wangchuk on Thursday noted that India and Bhutan enjoyed unique ties of friendship and cooperation, characterized by mutual understanding, trust, and exceptional cooperation at all levels, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting.

In a rare gesture exclusively extended to the royals of the neighbouring country, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, himself, received the Bhutanese King and Queen after they arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi for a two-day visit. Jaishankar later called on the Bhutanese King. “Discussed the steady progress that the India-Bhutan partnership is making. Value his guidance for its future growth. Also assured India’s fullest support for the development goals of Bhutan.”

The king shared with the prime minister the progress in implementing his vision for the Gelephu Mindfulness City Special Administrative Region, and how India and Bhutan could work together on the project for the betterment of the two peoples and the region, according to a

The king of Bhutan late last year unveiled his plan to develop the “Gelephu Mindfulness City” as a Special Administrative Region in southern Bhutan, with a focus on mindfulness, sustainability, and harmony. Thimphu has plans to develop it as the world’s first economic hub, where development and growth would co-exist in harmony with nature and mindfulness living, showcasing sustainable and value-driven urban development.

Modi reassured Wangchuk of New Delhi’s continued support to Thimphu for the Gelephu Mindfulness City project, which will bring prosperity and well-being in Bhutan and the border areas in Assam in northeastern India, and further strengthen economic and investment linkages between the two countries.

Wangchuck had earlier noted that the land connection from Gelephu or Samdrup Jongkhar through Assam and Northeast Indian states, to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, was a vibrant economic corridor linking South Asia to Southeast Asia. He said that the “Gelephu Mindfulness City” project would take advantage of the proposed corridor and spur economic growth for Bhutan.