Jaishankar lands in Thimphu on SAARC mission

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar met Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on Sunday and discussed cooperation between SAARC countries as well as bilateral ties.

Jaishankar landed in the Bhutan capital on Sunday on the first leg of his visit to four SAARC countries.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said Jaishankar discussed cooperation between South Asian countries as also ways to strengthen bilateral ties with the Bhutan leadership.

He said sub-regional cooperation between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) also figured in discussions.

The BBIN grouping had last month discussed the scope for power trade and inter-grid connectivity. India is planning an electricity grid among the SAARC nations.

Jaishankar, who took charge on January 28, travels to Bangladesh on Monday, to Pakistan on Tuesday and to Afghanistan the following day.

The visit to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) neighbours is part of India's emphasis on neighbourhood outreach.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made Bhutan the destination of his first foreign tour after taking over in May last year.

Modi laid the foundation of the 600-MW Kholongchu hydropower project.

President Pranab Mukherjee visited Bhutan last November during which he said that India attached the highest importance to its relations with Thimpu.

He called Bhutan "a close friend and neighbour".

Mukherjee's visit was the first bilateral trip by an Indian president to Bhutan in 26 years.