Focus on security as PM Modi meets Bhutan king | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi and visiting Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck reviewed bilateral cooperation Tuesday and discussed issues of national interests in a meeting, amid renewed efforts by Bhutan to demarcate parts of its boundary with China and uncertainty over the Doklam tri-junction.
While asserting the government was closely following all developments that had a bearing on India’s national interests, and would take all necessary measures to safeguard those, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra also said ties with Bhutan were based on shared values including mutual sensitivity to each other’s concerns. The government reiterated its earlier statements on Doklam that said tri-junctions had to be finalised in consultation with all concerned countries.

“I would say that India and Bhutan remain in close touch relating to our shared interests, including security. I would only reiterate earlier statements on this issue which very explicitly bring out our position on trijunction boundary points,” said Kwatra on the Doklam issue, while not denying that the boundary issue was discussed in the king’s meeting with Modi.
The visit by the king had been in the works for many weeks but it took place days after Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering raised eyebrows by saying that Bhutan would be able to demarcate parts of its boundaries with China in “a meeting or two’’ and that there was no major border problem with China. He also said that all 3 countries will have an equal say in resolving the Doklam trijunction dispute. Tshering had later said he hadn’t said anything new and that Bhutan’s position on Doklam remained the same as in the past.
India maintains that any attempt to determine the tri-junction must be in line with the 2012 agreement between India and China that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries “will be finalized in consultation with the concerned countries’’. India had accused Beijing of violating this agreement in 2017 when China started to construct a road in the Doklam area.
The meeting also saw Modi reiterating India’s continued and full support to the socio-economic development in Bhutan, said the foreign secretary.
The 2 sides agreed that India would step up its support for Bhutan’s upcoming 13th Five Year Plan.
“At Bhutan’s request, India would work to extend an additional standby credit facility. This would be over and above the two existing standby credit facilities operating between the two countries. We would also work to shape long term sustainable arrangements for export of agricultural commodities from Bhutan,” said Kwatra.
India is also positively considering Bhutan’s request to sell power from one of its hydropower projects.
“Besides the existing range of hydropower projects and also exploring the non-hydro-renewable space, we would also try and expedite the finalization of modalities for new hydroelectric projects”, said Kwatra, after the meeting.