Thimphu: The shared spiritual and cultural heritage of Buddhism between India and Bhutan will be in focus once again as Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays a two-day State visit to the neighbouring nation starting Tuesday.
PM Modi’s visit coincides with the exposition of the Sacred Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha from India. He will also offer prayers to the Holy Relics at Tashichhodzong in Thimphu and participate in the Global Peace Prayer Festival organised by the Royal Government of Bhutan.
Buddhism is a shared heritage between India and Bhutan. A number of Bhutanese pilgrims travel to Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Sikkim, Udayagiri, Sarnath and other Buddhist sites in India.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan, the Je Khenpo presided over the ground-breaking ceremony to construct a Bhutanese temple in Rajgir. The temple was formally consecrated in September, this year. The statue of Zhabdrung – a revered figure in Bhutan, regarded as the founder of the Bhutan nation – currently on exhibition at the Simtokha Dzong in Bhutan, has been loaned by the Asiatic Society, Kolkata.
Prime Minister Modi had visited Bhutan on his first overseas visit after assuming responsibility in 2014. In August 2019, PM Modi undertook a State Visit to Bhutan after assuming office for the second term. PM Modi paid another landmark State Visit to Bhutan in March 2024, where he was conferred the ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’, Bhutan’s highest civilian decoration, by the King of Bhutan in a public ceremony at the Tendrelthang, Thimphu. Prime Minister Modi was the first foreign leader to be given this prestigious award.
As per ranking and precedence established, the ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’ was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals.
Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck had announced the conferment of the award during Bhutan’s 114th National Day celebrations held at the Tashichhodzong, Thimphu, in December 2021. The award recognised Prime Minister Modi’s contribution to strengthening India-Bhutan friendship and his people-centric leadership. The citation added that the award also honours India’s rise as a global power under his leadership, and celebrates Bhutan’s special bond with India. Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has set India on the path of transformation, and India’s moral authority and global influence have grown.
While receiving the award, Prime Minister Modi had underlined that it was an honour bestowed on the 1.4 billion people of Bharat and a testament to the special and unique ties between the two countries.
During the forthcoming visit, PM Modi and the Bhutanese King will also inaugurate the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project, developed jointly by the Government of India and the Royal Government of Bhutan. The Prime Minister will attend the celebrations dedicated to the 70th birth anniversary of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan.
About 50,000 Indians are presently working in Bhutan in sectors such as infrastructure development, hydropower, education, trade and commerce signifying close people-to-people ties between the two countries. Their contribution and service in the overall development of Bhutan have been recognised locally and internationally.
