India and Bhutan Discuss Trade and Connectivity Improvements
New Delhi [India], September 27, 2024: Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal and his Bhutanese counterpart Dasho Tashi Wangmo co-chaired the India-Bhutan Commerce Secretary Level Meeting (CSLM) in Thimphu on Friday. They decided to speed up the development of cross-border and connectivity infrastructure, according to a statement from the commerce ministry.
Commerce Secretary Barthwal visited Bhutan from September 27 to 28, 2024. Key discussions included the establishment of an Integrated Check Post in Jaigaon-Phuentsholing and rail-links between Kokrajhar-Gelephu and Banarhat-Samtse. They also discussed notifying LCS Hatisar and LCS Darranga as additional routes for importing areca nut and food items from Bhutan to India.
India agreed to notify LCS at Samrang after upgrading the necessary infrastructure and considered notifying LCS Jaigaon for importing scrap from Bhutan. They also talked about setting up border haats along the India-Bhutan border, facilitating the movement of businesspersons, and importing boulders and additional species of timber from Bhutan to India.
The deployment of personnel for Phyto Quarantine Inspection Services (PQIS) at LCS Darranga and the early operationalization of an agreement recognizing the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) were also discussed. They aimed to finalize an agreement between the National Seed Centre, Bhutan, and Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited, India, for supplying fertilizers to Bhutan.
Both sides assessed the progress in bilateral trade, commerce, connectivity, and investment partnerships positively. They noted the recent signing of a bilateral MoU on the general supply of Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants (POL), and related products from India to Bhutan. They also expressed satisfaction with the cooperation in ensuring the smooth supply of essential commodities like potato, wheat, sugar, non-basmati rice, fertilizer, and coal.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade linkages, boosting connectivity, and facilitating the cross-border movement of goods, services, and people. They agreed to hold the next meeting in India at a mutually convenient date. The visit of the Commerce Secretary to Bhutan continues the tradition of regular exchanges between the two countries, further strengthening their close ties of friendship and cooperation.
Doubts Revealed
Commerce Secretary -: A Commerce Secretary is a high-ranking official in the government who looks after trade and business matters.
Bhutanese -: Bhutanese refers to something or someone from Bhutan, a small country near India.
Thimphu -: Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan.
cross-border trade -: Cross-border trade means buying and selling goods between two countries.
connectivity infrastructure -: Connectivity infrastructure includes things like roads, railways, and check posts that help people and goods move between places.
rail-links -: Rail-links are train routes that connect different places.
Integrated Check Posts -: Integrated Check Posts are places at the border where people and goods are checked before entering or leaving a country.
bilateral trade -: Bilateral trade is the exchange of goods between two countries.