Bhutan to increase trade and commerce with India

Guwahati, Nov 24: Royal Bhutan government wants to maintain good neighbouring relations with India in all respects and enhance co-operation in trade, commerce and tourism sectors.

Bhutan Joint Secretary, Homes and Cultural affairs, Dasho Tsering Wangda told newsmen here today that the people of both Bhutan and bordering Asom lagged behind in economic front.

People of both the countries were friendly and wants to have the fruits of development by maintaining the age old good relationship, he said.

Mr Wangda is leading a 30-member Royal Bhutan Government delegation to Asom to participate in the 4th Round of Border District Coordination meeting here from November 21.

In the three-day meeting both the governments discussed mutual bilateral issues like law and order problems, security, trade, business and tourism, development of economy of the border people of both the states, he said.

Replying to a question, Mr Wangda said that his government would not allow setting up of any camps in their territory by any Indian terrorist groups, including ULFA.

He categorically stated that all insurgent members nabbed by the Bhutanese forces during the flushing out programme in 2003 carried out in Bhutan were handed over to Indian authority.

To another question he said that Bhutanese Army and Royal Bhutan police forces were guarding the International border to stop the insurgents from entering the Bhutan territory.

He said that Indian Army, SSB, Police forces also have to remain vigilant in the Indo-Bhutan borders.

He said it is the duty of the Indian forces to stop the Indian insurgents from sneaking into Bhutan from Indian territory. ''Your territory must be protected by your forces'', he said.

He said that Bhutanese people were rice eaters and 90 per cent of rice was coming from Asom while entire fish, meat, pork required by Royal Bhutan government were coming from West Bengal.

He wanted to increase the business, trade and commerce with Asom, the age-old good neighbour of Bhutan.

He said that Bhutan is importing Rs 4000-5000 crores worth of goods from India.

UNI