Thimphu: India has agreed to build four new joint venture hydropower projects in Bhutan as the two governments agreed to closely coordinate on issues relating to their national security and interests.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay in New Delhi yesterday and agreed that India would build four new hydropower projects with a capacity to generate 2120 MW in Bhutan.
Tobgay, who attended Modi's swearing-in ceremony, conveyed to him the felicitations of the King of Bhutan and the government and people of Bhutan as he assumed the office of prime minister, Kuensel Online reported. After the meeting, Bhutanese Foreign Minister Rinzin Dorji said that as Modi takes over as Prime Minister of India, Bhutan could share the sense of hope the people of India were feeling.
“He (Modi) is a prime minister who delivers,” Dorji said. “From the interaction, we could sense he has concerns for Bhutan and the region.”
Dorji said Modi also expressed concerns on why the implementation of Bhutan's hydropower projects was delayed. “This shows his deep concerns and he wants to move things quickly,” Dorji said.
Tobgay also called on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
