Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bhutan on Tuesday for a two-day visit aimed at deepening India’s time-tested friendship with the Himalayan kingdom. The visit packed with symbolism and diplomacy coincides with the 70th birthday celebrations of Bhutan’s revered Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Modi was greeted with a warm reception at the Paro International Airport by Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who described him as “an elder brother.” “I join the entire nation in welcoming my elder brother, Prime Minister @narendramodi, to Bhutan,” Tobgay posted on X.
Hydropower, heritage, and Himalayan friendship
During his stay, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck and PM Tobgay. The leaders are set to jointly inaugurate the 1,020-megawatt Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project a flagship symbol of India-Bhutan cooperation in clean energy.
Calling the event an “honour,” Modi said, “It would be my privilege to join the people of Bhutan as they celebrate the 70th birth anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth King. Our partnership is built on mutual trust and respect and stands as a model for friendly relations between neighbours.”
Bhutan’s King, often regarded as the architect of the country’s Gross National Happiness vision, is deeply admired across the region. Indian officials say Modi’s presence at the event reflects “the emotional depth” of the two nations’ ties, rooted in culture, faith, and shared prosperity.
Neighbourhood First in action
Modi’s visit, his second to Bhutan in two years, underscores India’s continuing commitment to its Neighbourhood First Policy. The Ministry of External Affairs said the trip “will add new vigour to our bilateral relations and further strengthen the special ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.”
The visit also coincides with the exposition of the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha, sent from India to Bhutan a gesture officials describe as “a reaffirmation of the civilisational bond” between the two Buddhist-majority nations.
Before leaving New Delhi, the Prime Minister said he was confident that the visit “will deepen the bonds of friendship and strengthen our shared vision of progress and prosperity.”
As the golden peaks of the Himalayas glistened over Paro, India and Bhutan once again reaffirmed a friendship that has endured decades tested by time, anchored in faith, and powered by trust.
