The hallmark of a special partnership.

"It's a pleasure to see my friend again, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the SOUL conference on February 21. (Source: X)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared on social media after attending and speaking with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the inaugural Leadership Conference of the School of Excellence (SOUL) on February 21 in New Delhi.

The presence of the Bhutanese head of government at the conference was a source of excitement for the host country's Prime Minister. In his speech at the event, Tshering Tobgay referred to his Indian counterpart as his "elder brother" and "mentor," and expressed his desire for guidance to help him contribute to the transformation of public services in the small Himalayan nation.

Calling the SOUL initiative "Modi's brainchild," Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay further emphasized that it is another testament to the Indian leader's unwavering commitment to cultivating authentic leaders and empowering them to serve the great Republic of India.

The SOUL Leadership Conference will serve as a leading platform where leaders from diverse fields such as politics , sports, arts and media, the spiritual world, public policy, business, and society will share their inspiring life journeys and discuss aspects relevant to leadership. The conference will foster a collaborative ecosystem and thought leadership, facilitating learning from both failures and successes, to inspire younger audiences.

SOUL is a soon-to-be-launched private training facility in Gujarat, designed to equip government and public sector leaders with the tools, skills, and expertise necessary to navigate the complex leadership challenges of today's world. As Prime Minister Modi put it, SOUL "will shape outstanding leaders nationally and globally."

Earlier, the two Prime Ministers held talks, reviewing various aspects of bilateral relations. “We are committed to deepening the unique and historic partnership between India and Bhutan,” Modi added.

On this occasion, the Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw; the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minorities Kiren Rijiju; the Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and other senior officials of the Indian government also paid a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister of Bhutan.

According to India News Network , Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay's official visit to India from February 20-21 reinforced the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two neighboring countries.

According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, India and Bhutan have an exemplary relationship of friendship and cooperation, based on trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding at all levels. The ministry's statement noted that Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay's visit "is in line with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan, a hallmark of their special partnership."

India has collaborated closely with Bhutan in its socio-economic development since Bhutan's first Five-Year Plan in 1971. This collaboration aligns with the priorities of the Bhutanese government and people.

The scope of development projects spans many sectors such as infrastructure development, roads, digital connectivity, energy, agriculture, information technology, health, education, human resource development, and urban development.

India also collaborates with Bhutan through initiatives such as the High-Impact Community Development Project. These projects include developing drinking water supply networks, irrigation canals, building farm roads, basic health stations, and other rural infrastructure.

In addition, the India-Bhutan development partnership also includes the PG model, which means direct budgetary support to the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar welcomes his Nepalese counterpart Arzu Deuba Rana during his first visit to New Delhi in September 2024. (Source: MEA)

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of another neighboring country is hoping to receive an invitation to visit India in the first half of 2025. Speaking to The Hindu newspaper on February 22nd, Nepalese Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba Rana said that Nepal is awaiting an invitation to visit India for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Ms. Rana expressed hope that Mr. Sharma Oli and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would meet on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand next April, and that the leader would be invited to New Delhi in the "first half" of 2025.

Ms. Rana has personally visited New Delhi twice since the Sharma Oli administration came to power in July 2024. The Hindu newspaper noted that Ms. Rana's recent comments "show the strained relationship" between New Delhi and Kathmandu due to the Modi government's "unusually slow" response in hosting the Nepalese Prime Minister. After sensing this delay from India, Mr. Oli visited Beijing in November 2024, a move believed to have further increased the rift between the two neighboring countries.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thu-tuong-bhutan-tham-an-do-dau-an-cua-quan-he-doi-tac-dac-biet-305303.html