Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss several issues, including the recent controversy sparked by Bhutan’s PM’s remarks about the 2017 Doklam border dispute.
Bhutan’s PM Lotay Tshering had said that India and China have an equal say in resolving the issue, which was seen by some as giving China an upper hand.
However, Bhutan’s PM clarified that his comments were nothing new and there was no change in position.
The meeting between the two leaders will also discuss other matters like hydro-power cooperation, economic and trade partnership, space cooperation, scholarships, youth-centric and STEM-based initiatives, and digital infrastructure.
The two countries have a unique relationship sustained by a tradition of regular high-level visits. Space cooperation is a new area of bilateral cooperation that both countries are exploring, and they recently launched the India-Bhutan SAT into space.