COVID-19: Bhutan thanks India for facilitating Bhutanese nationals evacuation

Bhutan on Saturday thanked India for facilitating the evacuation of Bhutanese stranded in India due to coronavirus lockdown.

"As we continue to receive our Bhutanese nationals from the different parts of India, I would like to thank GoI for the continued support and facilitating Bhutanese people and enabling them smooth transit at airports. We are always grateful for that," Bhutan Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji tweeted.

Bhutan has evacuated many people residing in India in the past few days. Bhutan has sealed its border with India last month in order to stem the spread of coronavirus. India is under lockdown till April 14 and has suspended all flights.

Bhutan has so far reported 5 coronavirus cases.

India has cleared the first list of 13 countries to export hydroxychloroquin (HCQ) including Bhutan. Earlier sources told ANI, Bhutan will get 2 lakh tablets. Chloroquine is antimalarial drug touted as a potential treatment for the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Thimphu has committed USD 100,000 to the SAARC emergency fund proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help combat the coronavirus threat in the region.