King Khesar travels to Delhi

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk flew to New Delhi on Tuesday for a four-day visit at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The high level visit comes as Bhutan prepares for the third parliamentary election next year. The parliamentary elections are likely to be held in March-April 2018 as the current parliament completes five-year term.

The visit is significant since India plays an influential role in the last election, which easily flipped the wings of DPT and pulled PDP, which had only two members in the first election, to power.

India, unsatisfied with the action of the then Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley meeting Chinese leader, stopped supply of petroleum products days before election. This resulted in getting PDP, favourite of the current king, to power.

During his stay in Delhi between October 31 and November 3, King Khesar will see Modi and other senior political and diplomatic leaders.

The Royal visit would also provide an opportunity to both the sides for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation, including befitting celebrations for the golden jubilee of Bhutan and India’s diplomatic relations in 2018, and to advance the special bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation.