EAM Jaishankar Arrives In Paro, Looks To Advance India-Bhutan Ties

The visit includes bilateral talks, a call on PM Tshering Tobgay, and a royal audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

PGurus Newsdesk

September 16, 2026

EAM Jaishankar arrived in Paro for a two-day visit to Bhutan, where he will hold bilateral talks, call on PM Tshering Tobgay, and receive a royal audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

The trip is being framed as part of India’s Neighbourhood First policy and its tradition of regular high-level exchanges with Bhutan

On a two-day visit, the External Affairs Minister will hold bilateral talks with Bhutan’s Foreign Minister, call on PM Tshering Tobgay, and receive a royal audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Paro, Bhutan, on Wednesday, as part of an official visit running from September 16-17, at the invitation of Bhutan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Lyonpo D N Dhungyel. Jaishankar marked the arrival with a post on X, greeting “Kuzuzangpo la Bhutan!” and thanking Dhungyel, who personally received him, for the warm welcome.

What’s On The Itinerary

During the visit, Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks with Dhungyel, call on Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and receive a royal audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the trip as consistent with the long-standing tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, aimed at further strengthening their close ties of friendship and cooperation. The visit also sits squarely within India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, which places a premium on sustained, high-level engagement with immediate neighbours like Bhutan.

Water Cooperation Already In Motion

The Paro visit follows closely on the heels of a high-level bilateral meeting held in New Delhi in August, focused specifically on trans-border river cooperation. That meeting brought together a Bhutanese delegation led by Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Lyonpo Gem Tshering and an Indian delegation led by Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil, who reviewed ongoing work on trans-border river management, flood forecasting, and hydrological data sharing.

The two sides also took stock of the Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project, an India-Bhutan partnership project, and discussed ways to speed up its implementation, alongside proposals to upgrade Bhutan’s hydro-meteorological network and widen data-sharing on transboundary rivers. Both governments reaffirmed their commitment to managing shared water resources sustainably, through continued technical collaboration and institutional engagement.

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