A unique bond

The conferring of Bhutan’s highest civilian award to Narendra Modi on Friday has not only come as a great honour to the Indian Prime Minister but has also reiterated the special relationship the two good neighbours continue to enjoy. “Order of the Druk Gyalpo,”  as the award is called, is, as per ranking and precedence established, instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement, and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations, and medals. Since its establishment, the award has been conferred on only four eminent personalities. In fact, India and Bhutan share an exemplary bilateral relationship characterised by trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding at all levels, strong bonds of friendship, and close people-to-people contacts. During his visit to the Himalayan Kingdom, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay also signed a number of agreements. During a series of fruitful and wide-ranging discussions, the two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to taking this extraordinary bilateral partnership to new heights, looking into the future. The two leaders also noted the stellar contribution of the clean energy partnership in the development of the hydropower sector of Bhutan and in providing energy security to the region. The other agreements and MoUs signed between the two countries during Modi’s visit to Thimphu include: an MoU on general supply of petroleum, oil, lubricants (POL) and related products from India to Bhutan; an agreement for recognition of official control exercised by the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); an MoU on cooperation in the field of energy efficiency and energy conservation measures; an MoU on cooperation concerning the sharing reference standards, pharmacopoeia, vigilance, and testing of medicinal products; an MoU on cooperation in sports and youth; Renewal of the MoU on Peering Arrangement between the National Knowledge Network of India (NKN) and the Druk Research and Education Network of Bhutan and a Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) on Space Cooperation. In addition, both sides have also agreed on and initialled the text of the MoU on Establishment of Rail Links between India and Bhutan. The MoU provides for the establishment of two proposed rail links between India and Bhutan, including the Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail link and the Banarhat-Samtse rail link, and their implementation modalities. Prime Minister Modi appreciated the growing domestic capacity of Bhutanese firms and technical agencies in implementation of various energy projects. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay, while congratulating Prime Minister Modi for the remarkable growth of India’s renewable energy sector in recent years, also appreciated Modi’s leadership in fostering initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the National Green Hydrogen Mission of India.