Order of the Druk Gyalpo: Bhutan government confers Himalayan nation’s highest civilian honour on Narendra Modi

The Bhutanese government on Friday conferred Order of the Druk Gyalpo, the highest civilian honour of the Himalayan nation, on visiting Indian PM Narendra Modi.

He posted on X: “Honoured to be conferred with ‘Order of the Druk Gyalpo’ Award by Bhutan. I dedicate it to 140 crore Indians.”

He is the first international head of government to obtain the honour.

India, Bhutan signal MoUs

India and Bhutan on Friday signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in varied sectors, together with a railway hyperlink between the two nations, on day one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s go to to the Himalayan kingdom.

The MoUs had been witnessed by PM Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay, who additionally held discussions on varied elements of the multi-faceted bilateral relations.

The MoUs pertained to the common provide of petroleum, oil, lubricants (POL) and associated merchandise from India to Bhutan, cooperation in the discipline of power effectivity and power conservation measures.

Furthermore, MoUs had been additionally signed on cooperation in sports activities and youth, sharing reference requirements, pharmacopeia, vigilance and testing of medicinal merchandise, Joint Plan of Action (JPOA) on area cooperation and association between National Knowledge Network of India (NKN) and Druk Research And Education Network of Bhutan.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi met Tobgay over a working lunch hosted in his honour.

The Prime Minister thanked Tobgay for the distinctive public welcome accorded to him, with folks greeting him all alongside the journey from Paro to Thimphu.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, the two leaders held discussions on varied elements of the multi-faceted bilateral relations and cast an understanding to additional improve cooperation in sectors akin to renewable power, agriculture, youth alternate, setting and forestry, and tourism.