ANI
17 Aug 2019, 18:25 GMT+10
Semthoka [Bhutan], Aug 17 (ANI): Nine MoUs and one power purchase agreement were exchanged between India and Bhutan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering at the Semtokha Dzong here on Saturday.
"Bhutan is the second country this will be launched in after Singapore. This will be done in two phases -- the first phase will be Indian banks will issue RuPay cards which can be used by Indian travellers in Bhutan, in a bid to ease tourism in the country," Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had stated at a presser preceding the PM's visit.
"The next phase will be where the banks of Bhutan will be empowered to issue RuPay cards to Bhutanese citizens to use in India," he had added.
Apart from the MoUs, the Mangdechhu hydroelectric power plant was inaugurated, along with the remote launching of the ISRO-built Ground Station for South Asian Satellite.
The two Prime Ministers also launched stamps to commemorate five decades of India-Bhutan Hydropower cooperation.
The e-plaque of the interconnection between India's National Knowledge Network and Bhutan's Druk Research and Education Network was also unveiled during the event on Saturday.
Amongst the MoUs, at least four are STEM-focused. "The Royal University of Bhutan shall be signing four MoUs, one each with IIT Delhi, Bombay and Kanpur and with NIIT Silchar...This is a very positive development in the stem subjects," the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Ruchira Kamboj told ANI in Thimphu on Friday.
Another MoU has been signed between the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law, Thimphu, and National Law School of India University, Bangalore and another between the Bhutan National Legal Institute and National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, on cooperation in Judicial Education and Mutual Exchanges.
An MoU has also been signed in the space sector, between ISRO and Bhutan's Department of Information Technology and Telecom (DITT).
The Power Purchase Agreement between PTC India Limited and Druk Green Power Corporation Limited for sale and purchase of Mangdechhu power was also exchanged in the presence of the leaders.
After the event, the Prime Minister planted a tree sapling at the Dzong. He is now scheduled to address students at the Royal University Bhutan on August 18. (ANI)Get a daily dose of International Travel News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to International Travel News.
More InformationNEW YORK, New York -U.S. stock markets closed with broad gains on Thursday, led by strong performances in U.S. tech stocks, while European...
LONDON/STOCKHOLM: The Persson family is ramping up its investment in the H&M fashion empire, fueling renewed speculation about a potential...
PARIS, France: L'Oréal is making a fresh play in the booming premium haircare segment with a new acquisition. The French beauty conglomerate...
MENLO PARK, California: Robinhood is giving European investors a new way to tap into America's most prominent tech names — without...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks diverged on Wednesday for the second day in a row. The Standard and Poor's 500 hit a new all-time...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The U.S. dollar continues to lose ground, weighed down by growing concerns over Washington's fiscal outlook...
KABUL, Afghanistan: Afghanistan, long associated with war and instability, is quietly trying to rebrand itself as a destination for...
EVERGLADES, Florida: Over the weekend, a diverse coalition of environmental activists, Native American leaders, and residents gathered...
NEW DELHI, India: India has decided not to allow a United Nations (UN) investigator to join the investigation into the recent Air India...
AJMAN, 4th July, 2025 (WAM) - Following the resounding success of its first edition, the Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD)...
BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- China will organize an array of cultural events to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese...
Wizz Air, recognized as the most environmentally sustainable airline across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, is expanding its route...