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PM bats for success of democracy in Bhutan
Ashok Tuteja/Tribune News Service

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks to King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, as President Pratibha Patil looks on during a welcome ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

New Delhi, December 22
India pulled out all stops to accord a warm welcome to Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk on his first overseas visit since his coronation in November last year, signing as many as a dozen agreements in hydropower, civil aviation, health and IT sectors with the neighbouring country.

“India wants democratic experience to succeed in Bhutan…we will provide all assistance to Bhutan in this endeavour,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared at his one-on-one talks with the young Bhutanese King here.

New Delhi is quite concerned over the perceptible moves being made by China to gain foothold in Bhutan. India obviously would not like China to influence the decision-making on political and economic issues in the tiny Himalayan nation.

The King assured Manmohan Singh that his country was “mindful of India’s interest”. New Delhi is quite satisfied with the ‘excellent cooperation’ it has been receiving from Bhutan in fighting Indian insurgent groups in northeastern states.

The PM also told the visiting leader that New Delhi would leave no stone unturned in assisting Bhutan in realising its potential to generate 10,000 MW of power by 2020.

According to External Affairs Ministry spokesman , the two leaders discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments. Notes on the upcoming SAARC Summit in April in Bhutan were exchanged between the two sides and the PM assured the king that India would work closely with Bhutan to make it a ‘memorable event.’

Under one of the MOUs, India will assist Bhutan in setting up a 50-seat undergraduate medical college through the establishment of the Bhutan Institute of Medical Sciences in Thimphu on the lines of AIIMS in Delhi. Under another key agreement, nearly half of Bhutan’s population would become e-literate, thanks to India’s assistance.

In the power sector, several agreements were signed, including pacts on initiating DPRs for the Amochu (620 MW), Kuri-Gongri (1800 MW), Chamkarchu-I (670 MW) and Kholongchhu (486 MW)projects.