New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday called on visiting Bhutanese Minister for Economic Affairs Lyonpo Loknath Sharma and discussed economic cooperation, with special focus on the hydropower sector.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted:
“Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla called on Lyonpo Loknath Sharma @BhutanMoea Minister for Economic Affairs of Bhutan of Bhutan during the Minister’s visit to India.
“Discussions covered economic cooperation, with special focus on the hydropower sector.”
The hydropower sector is the primary area of cooperation between the two countries. India has funded four hydropower projects in Bhutan, which include 36 MW Chukha hydropower project, 60 MW Kurichhu hydropower project, 1,020 MW Tala hydropower project, and 720 MW Mangdechu hydropower project totaling about 2.1 GW of hydroelectric power.
The Mangdechhu Hydroelectric project which is a success story of India Bhutan cooperation in the Hydropower sector won the prestigious Brunel Medal-2020.
In July 2020, the two countries formed their first-ever joint venture to develop a hydropower project – a 600 MW project to be located on the Kholongchhu river in Trashiyangtse district of eastern Bhutan. The project is to be developed by Kholongchhu Hydroelectric Limited, a joint venture formed between Druk Green Power Corporation of Bhutan and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited of India. The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.
