By NNN-PTI,
Thimpu, Bhutan : Describing ties with India as “exemplary”, Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley said his country sought deeper economic integration with New Delhi by extending cooperation beyond the traditional areas.
Welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Paro International Airport near here on Friday , Thinley said the Indian leader’s two-day visit “is particularly significant and greatly appreciated by the Bhutanese people.
“Well we are very excited. This is a very important visit. Bhutan’s relations with India are of the nature that is exemplary in the world today,” Thinley, who is Bhutan’s first prime minister in a democratic set up, said.
“The Prime Minister’s visit is particularly significant and greatly appreciated by the Bhutanese people because… Bhutanese admire and respect and want to deepen our relations with India. This in fact (shows) we think on the same lines.” Thinley said Bhutan wanted to promote “mutually beneficial relationship” with India.
“We certainly are looking forward to deeper integration of our economy exploring new dimensions and new areas for collaboration beyond the traditional areas,” Thinley said.
Energy cooperation is expected to dominate the talks Singh will have with Bhutanese leadership.
India’s ambassador to Bhutan Sudhir Vyas said earlier that New Delhi considered it a “singular honour” that Singh has been asked to address a joint session of the Bhutanese parliament on May 17.
“We are attaching particular importance and significance to this visit, both in symbolic as well as in substantive terms,” said Vyas.
Singh will be the fifth Indian prime minister to visit Bhutan and the first in 15 years since Narasimha Rao came here in 1993.