India’s Development Assistance to Bhutan:
India handed over Rs. 290 crore for development projects under the Bhutanese government’s development plan, covering education, health, disaster preparedness and public infrastructure.Projects under this assistance also include the Royal University of Bhutan colleges, National Weather and Flood Warning Centre, Thimphu District Court and Gelephu General Hospital.Rs. 8.83 crore has been allocated to the Digital Drukyul skilling programme.Digital Drukyul is Bhutan’s flagship program to modernize e-government and improve public service delivery.India and Bhutan established diplomatic relations in 1968. Their relations are guided by the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, 1949, which was revised in 2007. Bhutan shares a border with four Indian States: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim.Bhutan became the second country to launch the BHIM app.India is supporting Bhutan’s Digital Drukyul initiative by funding an optical fibre network.The jointly developed India-Bhutan SAT was launched by ISRO on 26th November 2022.India is also helping Bhutan address shortages of STEM teachers in schools.India and Bhutan are strengthening infrastructure cooperation through two proposed cross-border rail links: Kokrajhar–Gelephu and Banarhat–Samtse.Hydropower Projects: Punatsangchhu-II (1,020 MW), Punatsangchhu-I (1,200 MW) and the proposed Dorjilung project (1,125 MW).
