President of India in Bhutan
In an extraordinary gesture, His Majesty the King and the Gyaltsuen were there to receive him at Paro airport
State visit: Indian President Pranab Mukherjee arrived in the country on a two-day state visit, yesterday.
In a special, unprecedented gesture and break from protocol, His Majesty the King received the Indian President at Paro airport.
The President was then escorted to Tashichhodzong in Thimphu and presented a guard of honour.
His Majesty the King granted an audience to the President following
which His Majesty the King and the President then presided over the
signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of
Nalanda University. Bhutan is the 11th country to sign the MoU.
Nalanda University is a newly established university located in Bihar.
Thimphu school children then performed a song which was composed specially for the President’s visit.
His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen hosted a luncheon
at the Grand Kuenrey in Tashichhodzong. The luncheon was graced by His
Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Their Majesties the Queen Mothers, the
prime minister, cabinet ministers, and senior government officials.
Following this, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay called on the President.
The President then received a presentation on the hydropower projects
in Bhutan, after which he inaugurated the Jigme Wangchuck Power
Training Institute (PTI). The institute will build capacity and enhance
knowledge of officials and staff that will work in commissioned
hydropower plants.
A grant of Nu 337M has been approved by the government of India (GoI)
to upgrade the Technical Training Institute at Dekiling to the Jigme
Wangchuck PTI. The construction of the Jigme Wangchuck PTI is expected
to take four to six years.
In a press conference, the Indian press secretary, Venu Rajmony, said
that the president, during his audience with His Majesty the King,
recalled the role played by Bhutan and the leadership of the Fourth Druk
Gyalpo in 2003, when military operations were conducted to flush out
extremists camped in Bhutan.
The press secretary said that the President pointed out that such
action should be an example to all SAARC countries. According to the
press secretary, the President said that Bhutan does not indulge in
terrorism, does not believe in cross-border terrorism, and will make
every serious effort to control and prevent it. He said that the
President asserted that India and Bhutan’s security is “intricately
interlinked and indivisible”.
The press secretary said that the President noted, in his meeting
with His Majesty the King, that there was perfect understanding of each
other’s concerns and sensitivities.
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