India welcomes bhutan king; sets off 8-day India visit

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan commenced an official visit to India from November 3–10, marking a significant diplomatic event. The King was warmly received by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma upon his arrival at the Guwahati airport. Expressing enthusiasm, Sarma wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that, “On behalf of the people of Assam, I am elated to welcome His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan. Under the guidance of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, we look forward to strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.”

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, also welcomed the Bhutanese King on his first visit to Assam, emphasizing the importance of strengthening bilateral ties. Earlier this April, the Bhutanese king visited India and met with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

During his visit, King Wangchuck is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other high-ranking officials, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, to discuss various aspects of cooperation and further bolster the exemplary partnership between India and Bhutan.

The visit aims to provide an opportunity for both nations to review and enhance cooperation across diverse sectors, as outlined by the Ministry of External Affairs in their official statement.

According to Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the two countries are investigating and considering the establishment of the first Integrated Check Post (ICP) along the India-Bhutan border.

Furthermore, he stated that both countries have a long history of close cooperation and mutual support across multiple domains, reflecting the intertwined nature of their security concerns.