A boost to Assam-Bhutan friendship

Context: The recent three-day official visit of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa
Sarma, the first by an Assam Chief Minister to Bhutan, at the invitation of the
Royal Bhutan government, is expected to further strengthen the bond of
friendship. The visit will potentially in- spire Assam and Bhutan to explore
new ide- as and initiatives to enhance cooperation in several key areas for
mutual growth and progress. Dr Sarma, during his meetings with the Bhutanese
leadership, stressed the importance of hydropower energy to boost Assam and
Bhutan’s mutual partnership. Moreover, Dr Sarma’s discussion on water resource
management is another initiative that augurs well for both Assam and Bhutan.

Key points

·       Overview: Assam shares
around 267 km of its borders with Bhutan. Both share an enduring bond, a
relationship that has been nurtured over centuries through cultural,
historical, and economic exchanges.

·       New
initiative: Assam’s plans for a Multi-Village Drinking Water Supply Project in the
Bodoland Territorial Region using clean water from the Nonai river, which is
just 2 km within Bhutan, represent yet another area of cooperation.

·      
Tourism & cultural exchange: Dr Sarma emphasized the importance of collaborative tourism circuits
linking Bhutan’s pristine landscapes with Assam’s iconic sites such as
Kaziranga and Manas National Parks as well as Majuli, to enhance eco-tourism
and promote conservation.

·      
Education
& skill development: The visit is expected to strengthen cooperation in education and skill development,
as Dr Sarma welcomed Bhutanese students by offering the reservation of five
seats in government medical colleges and by specifying specialised programmes for
Bhutanese students in Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) training.

·      
Agri-sector: Presenting the potential areas such as burgeoning
ethanol and agro-industrial sectors in Assam and the opportunities for Bhutan’s
agricultural products, including maize and bamboo, the visit underscored the
importance of encouraging Bhutanese enterprises to explore Assam’s markets in
sectors like food and beverages, poultry, and minerals.

·      
Infrastructure
& development: Reiterating the
Assam government’s desire to expand cooperation in innovation and urban
development, the visit is likely to materialize a proposal for a sister-City
Agreement between Gelephu Mindfulness City and Jagiroad Electronics City. This
partnership, once materialized, is expected to foster sustainable urban
development and shared innovation.

·       Boost
in the economy: It is a fact that Assam’s economy is on a growth
trajectory. There is optimism and excitement because Assam is one of the fastest-growing
States in the country, with vibrancy in infrastructure, investments,
technology, and startups. Therefore, both Assam and Bhutan can forge
partnerships and leverage the State’s strengths in sectors of interest to
Bhutan.

·       Conclusion: Assam is
presumed to be one of the biggest trading partners of Bhutan. There are seven
trading routes between Assam and Bhutan – four road routes and three riverine routes.
The Assam government assures full cooperation in boosting the trade infrastructure
at the border and formalizing additional routes for trading as per the demand
of the Bhutanese traders.