India has been one of Bhutan's main development partners
India and Bhutan are set to explore ways to strengthen their bilateral relationship during the upcoming visit of Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
 
He will be accompanied by senior officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday as it announced his official visit to India from November 3-10, 2023.
 
During the visit, the King of Bhutan will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In addition to this, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and senior Indian government officials will call on him while he is in New Delhi. The King of Bhutan will also visit Assam and Maharashtra.
 
India and Bhutan enjoy unique ties of friendship and cooperation, which are characterized by understanding and mutual trust. "The visit would provide an opportunity to both the sides to review the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and to further advance the exemplary bilateral partnership, across diverse sectors," the MEA said. 
 
Prime Minister Modi and Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck also met in New Delhi earlier this year.
 
During their meeting on April 4, 2023, the two leaders discussed the economic and development partnership, sustainable trade facilitation measures, and new paradigms on energy cooperation.
 
INDIA’S DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP WITH BHUTAN
 
India has been one of Bhutan's main development partners and has been providing assistance to Bhutan’s Five-Year Plans (FYPs) since 1961. Bhutan has benefited from Indian assistance in the fields of infrastructural development, hydroelectric power, health & education, and space.
 
Indian assistance has ensured the installation of over 2000 MW of capacity with four mega hydro projects since the 1980s; two projects are under construction.
 
Prime Ministers of the two countries had jointly inaugurated the Ground Earth Station of the South Asia Satellite (SAS) in Thimphu in 2019. The facility has been constructed with the support of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
 
In November 2020, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between India and Bhutan on cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space; training of domain experts is underway.
 
The India-Bhutan SAT was launched into space on November 26, 2022 by ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The Ground Earth Station for the satellite was inaugurated during the visit of the ISRO Chairman. Bhutan will receive high-resolution photos from the India-Bhutan SAT for the management of its natural resources.