After wrapping up his two-day state visit to Bhutan from March 22–23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New Delhi on Saturday. In a special gesture, the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Bhutanese PM Dasho Tshering Tobgay both came to see off PM Modi at the airport.
Prime Minister Modi was conferred with the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, Bhutan’s highest civilian honour, which he dedicated to the 140 crore people of the country. To express his gratitude, PM Modi shared a post on X, previously known as Twitter, and articulated, “It is with great humility that I accept the Order of the Druk Gyalpo. I am grateful to His Majesty the King of Bhutan for presenting the Award. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India. I am also confident that India.
Take a look:
It is with great humility that I accept the Order of the Druk Gyalpo. I am grateful to HM the King of Bhutan for presenting the Award. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India. I am also confident that India-Bhutan relations will keep growing and benefit our citizens. pic.twitter.com/bDtKZJsS7X
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2024
-Bhutan relations will keep growing and benefit our citizens.”
Prime Minister Modi became the first foreign dignitary and the fourth person overall to receive the honour.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital along with his Bhutanese counterpart, Dasho Tshering Tobgay. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay expressed his gratitude towards the Indian government for fully funding the construction of the state-of-the-art hospital.
During the two-day visit, PM Modi and Bhutan PM Tobgay reviewed all aspects of bilateral energy cooperation and, welcomed the expert-level discussions on the 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydro-electric Project, adding that they look forward to the commissioning of the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydro-electric Project later this year.
Prime Minister Modi also announced a substantial assistance package of 10,000 crores for Bhutan’s 13th five-year plan, further solidifying the bond between the two countries.
PM Modi and PM Tobgay agreed that the India-Bhutan energy partnership has the potential to benefit both countries by enhancing energy security, strengthening their economies, generating employment, enhancing export earnings, and contributing to the further development of industrial and financial capacities.
Upon his arrival in Bhutan on Friday, PM Modi received a rousing welcome from the people who turned out in large numbers to accord a warm reception in Bhutan.
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