New Delhi:

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay shared deep personal insights into his connection with India during his speech at the ‘NDTV World Summit 2024: The India Century.’

He revealed that not only was he born in India, but his formative years in the country played a significant role in shaping his dedication to serving Bhutan, its people, and its king.

“I’ll tell you a secret, in fact, my Bhutanese colleagues here also don’t know; I was born in India. 1965, I was born in Kalimpong. My father was serving in Kalimpong, my parents were serving – I was born there, right?” Mr Tobgay said.

“What moulded me to serve my king, my country, and my people would have been not necessarily Pittsburgh and Harvard, but Dr Graham’s homes in Kalimpong in West Bengal. I studied 11 years in India, and you asked me how 4 years in America has moulded me!”

Mr Tobgay went on to emphasise the long-standing educational connections between Bhutan and India. He shared how many Bhutanese, himself included, were educated in Indian schools due to the lack of institutions in Bhutan at the time.

“From kindergarten school, from baby class till class 10, I studied in India, as indeed many other Bhutanese studied in India those days, because we did not have enough schools in Bhutan. But when we did establish schools, we did not have enough teachers, and those teachers came from India,” he added.

“I do believe they have taught us well, because we have been able to go back home and serve our King and country and our people.”

When asked about India’s growing global influence, particularly in the 21st century, Mr Tobgay was quick to praise the country’s economic strength and leadership on the world stage. “The world needs India, and I’m very happy that you identify this century as India’s century.

You asked me about Prime Minister Modi and his historic third term – why do you call it India’s century? For many reasons! India has the largest population in the world – 1.45 billion. It’s growing. It’s projected to reach 1.6 billion.”

Mr Tobgay also pointed out India’s economic prowess and consumer base, noting, “India has a booming economy – it’s crossed 3 trillion US Dollars. It should have crossed 5 trillion US Dollars had it not been for COVID. India has the biggest consumer base. India has almost 35 million successful people in the diaspora throughout the world, particularly in the advanced countries.”

“By every measure, yes, this is India’s century. But by one measure you stand out, and that is leadership. India’s leadership, and trust in that leadership,” he concluded.

The summit marked another milestone in reflecting on India’s role not only as a regional power but also as a global leader, poised for further growth in the decades to come.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Watch | Gelephu megacity dreams | Bhutan PM interview | Worldview

This week we are looking at Bhutan, India’s smallest and most reclusive neighbour, that rarely gets spoken about.

But now, with an announcement made in December by the Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is hoping to make a big splash, with the creation of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) to its south bordering Assam.

The plan for Gelephu includes:

Developing about 2,000 square kms of Bhutanese territory as a carbon-negative Special Administrative Region, attracting investors and service industry giants to set up there. A Danish firm has already been chosen and is working on plans for buildings, bridges, markets and a dam.

Building a new airport to replace the existing airstrip- this is one of the most cost-intensive projects, and Indian officials have already visited for feasibility studies.

Special facilities to bring in IT companies, health, hospitality, educations sectors in particular.

Investment in infrastructure and connectivity – India has already committed to a rail line right up to Gelephu, a ₹1,000 crore project, transit trade, border checkpoint facilities for trade and upgrading roads to the North East and Bangladesh, the trination highway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced a doubling of Bhutan’s outlay for the next 5 year plan, from ₹5,000 crore to 10,000, of which about ₹1,500 crore is part of an economic stimulus plan for Bhutan.

The plan for Gelephu as a megacity is not new. Many countries have such plans, like Saudi Arabia’s NEOM; Indonesia’s Nusantara; Egypt’s New Administrative Capital; India had the ambitious Amravati project which was shelved; Pakistan has Gwadar Port and City- built by China; Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port project, which has now been leased to China due to financial losses.

We spoke to Bhutan’s PM Tshering Tobgay, and asked him how feasible this plan for Gelephu is, and how to avoid the pitfalls of becoming a white elephant.

Script and presentation: Suhasini Haidar

Production: Shibu Narayan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets the gathering during the Druk Gyalpo Award Ceremony, in Thimphu on Friday, March 22, 2024. PM Modi became the first non-Bhutanese head of state to receive Bhutan’s highest civilian award ‘Order of Druk Gyalpo’.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, March 23, 2024, inaugurated a modern hospital built with Indian assistance in Bhutan’s capital Thimphu.

Mr. Modi was joined by his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay in inaugurating the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Mother and Child Hospital in Thimphu – a Bhutan-India friendship project dedicated to the people of the Himalayan kingdom.

Mr. Modi, who arrived in Bhutan on Friday for a two-day State visit to further cement India’s unique relations with the Himalayan nation, called on the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and held talks with Prime Minister Tobgay on Friday.

Bhutan’s King Wangchuck conferred the ‘Order of the Druk Glyalpo’ to Prime Minister Modi at a public ceremony here on Friday, making him the first foreign Head of the Government to receive the honour.

The award recognises Prime Minister Modi’s contribution to strengthening the India-Bhutan friendship and his people-centric leadership.

“It is with great humility that I accept the Order of the Druk Gyalpo. I am grateful to HM the King of Bhutan for presenting the Award. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India. I am also confident that India-Bhutan relations will keep growing and benefit our citizens,” Mr. Modi wrote in a post on X on Friday night.

India and Bhutan established diplomatic relations in 1968.

The basic framework of India- Bhutan relations has been the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1949 between the two countries, which was revised in February 2007.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
| Photo Credit: ANI

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