PM Modi Bhutan Visit – Burning Issues

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GEOGRAPHY OF BHUTAN

Shares border with only India and China
With India – the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, and Sikkim share border with Bhutan

Bhutan was the first country Modi visited after taking office in 2014, a reflection of the priority accorded to it by New Delhi. After winning the 2019 elections, Modi invited leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, a South and Southeast Asian economic grouping, for his swearing in on 30 May.
Tshering was one of those who attended the event in New Delhi. Modi’s visit comes within three months of his taking office for the second term. Foreign minister S. Jaishankar visited Bhutan on his first trip abroad after assuming office in June

As part of these efforts, India will provide ₹400 crore for a trade support facility to encourage Bhutanese exporters
India is providing ₹5,000 crore for Bhutan’s 12th five-year plan that began in 2018, the same as the allocation for the previous plan

The two prime ministers inaugurated ₹7- crore ground earth station built by India’s space agency(ISRO) to allow Bhutan to use a transponder on the South Asian Satellite for broadcast services and disaster management.

India’s South Asia Satellite (SAS)
Launched on May 5, 2017, SAS was New Delhi’s gift to its neighbours—Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka—who will be able to access India’s satellite for their needs.

Not only has India allowed free access to satellite services, but it is also helping create the infrastructure that can help these countries utilise these services in multiple areas, such as disaster management, TV broadcast services, meteorological data dissemination, tele-education, tele-medicine, etc.

“India, Bhutan Expanding Satellite Cooperation”: PM Modi “It is even a matter of great happiness that young Bhutanese scientists will travel to India to work on designing and launching Bhutan’s own small satellite. I hope that someday soon, many of you will be scientists, engineers and innovators”: PM Modi In Bhutan

Mr. Modi also launched the RuPay Card in Bhutan by making a purchase at Simtokha Dzong, built in 1629 by Shabdrung Namgyal, which functions as a monastic and administrative centre and is one of the oldest dzongs in Bhutan.
“I am very happy that today we have launched RuPay card in Bhutan. This will further enhance our relationship in digital payments, and trade and tourism. Our shared spiritual heritage and strong people-to-people relationship are key of our relations,” he said.

An additional $100 million will be available to Bhutan under a standby swap arrangement to meet the foreign exchange requirement.

The Mangdechhu hydroelectric project is a 720MW run-of-river power plant built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag District of central Bhutan. Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority (MHPA), which is constituted by the Indian Government and the Royal Government of Bhutan, has developed the project.

Bhutan’s initiative to generate 10,000 MW hydropower by 2020 with the Indian government’s support The Mangdechhu project is funded by India through a 70 per cent loan and a 30 per cent grant. The Rs 4,500-crore hydroelectric plant, touted as a Bhutan-India friendship project