India funded hydel project progress key in President Pranab Mukherjee’s Bhutan trip

NEW DELHI: Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to land in Bhutan on November 7 for a two-day visit in the first standalone visit of an Indian president since 1988, less than five months after Narendra Modi chose the neighbouring country for his first visit as prime minister.

“The presidential visit coming close on the heels of the PM’s trip reflects the significance that Delhi attaches to Thimphu. It also reflects a vibrant South Asia policy that the Modi government wishes to pursue,” a senior government official said.

One of the key goals of Mukherjee’s visit is to review progress of the work on India-funded hydel power projects in Bhutan, officials said.

Hydel power projects are the cornerstone of India-Bhutan ties, meeting some of India’s energy needs while contributing significantly to the economy of the Himalayan state. In June, Modi had laid the foundation stone of the 600 mw Kholongchu Hydropower Project.

Bhutan exports 1,416 mw of electricity to India annually. In 2008, the two governments had decided to produce 10,000 mw of electricity by 2020 through 10 projects. Work on these projects is at various stages of completion, officials said.

President Pratibha Patil had in 2008 visited Bhutan to attend coronation ceremony of the current King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.