Guwahati: The Bhutanese leadership rolled out the proverbial red carpet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. As the PM embarked on his two-day state visit to the neighbouring country and discussed several key initiatives with Thimphu, Assam, across the border, was sure to have taken notes. Why? The answer is simple: Gelephu.
The border town in Bhutan is along the Chirang district in Bodoland and its development is sure to spill over into Assam.
When Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk visited India last year in November, he made a three-day pit stop in Assam before proceeding to New Delhi. Simply put, Bhutan reciprocates Assam’s resolve to begin a robust trade network with the Buddhist Kingdom. And why not? The two regions share a nearly 700-km-long border and have deep-rooted cultural and spiritual connections.
Days after meeting the Bhutan King in Guwahati, Assam’s chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, asked officials to improve roads connecting to Bhutan as he anticipated significant tourism and economic growth on both sides.
Although “exciting” times are coming, as far as connectivity is concerned, there is a massive scope to expand trade relations in both exports and imports, Consul General (CG) in Royal Bhutanese Consulate General, Consul General of the Royal Bhutanese Consulate General, Guwahati, stressed to Business Northeast. And both sides seem committed to making it happen.
“If Gelephu is turning into a world-class destination this is an opportunity for, Dadgiri in Assam could also attract investments”, said Assam minister Urkhao Gwra Brahma. Dadgiri, a busy market town, lies on the Indian side of the border, in the Chirang district. “Once Gelephu develops investment can come from the rest of India into Dadgiri which can be developed as a twin city of Gelephu, like Jaigaon is a twin city of Phuentsholing,” Brahma told Business North East.
The changes in Gelephu will also present an opportunity to develop the connectivity in the vicinity of NH31, he felt. Brahma also had a concern, asking if the development of Gelephu will make the currently easy access from Assam to Bhutan, more difficult.
Now the question here is not what Gelephu will have for Assam; instead, it is what it won’t.
The region allocated for this project will be spread over 1,000 sq km (bigger than Singapore), and is expected to attract IT centers, hospitals, schools, resorts, dams, and hydropower projects, Bhutan’s King said earlier this year.
To be developed in the Sarpang district to Bhutan’s south, Gelephu would be a “Special Administrative Region” that would be governed under different laws to open the door for more foreign investment. In that case, Assam will have access to a thriving economic megasystem, with the potential to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs, right at its doorstep.
At present, about 50,000 Indian citizens are working in Bhutan, mainly in the construction sector and as education and technical consultants involved in infrastructure projects. However, this number is set for a drastic spike once Bhutan's new policies come into play, particularly in the Gelephu region.
Moreover, described as an “economic corridor connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia via India’s northeastern states," the Gelephu project falls right in line with the central government’s Act East policy.
On Friday, Biswa Sarma’s profiles on social media were abuzz with activity, as he detailed key moments from the PM’s visit. So what did the PM's visit accomplish?
Building on diplomatic ties, the PM inaugurated an Indian-funded hospital in Bhutan "to symbolise the close cooperation between the two nations in healthcare." During his visit, Prime Minister Modi also announced an assistance package of 10,000 crores for Bhutan’s 13th five-year plan.
During the two-day visit, PM Modi and his Bhutan counterpart, PM, Tobgay finalized an agreement on the establishment of rail links between the two nations. The construction of the first India-Bhutan railway line to Gelephu is expected to be a big boost to trade and commerce between the two neighbouring nations.
According to officials, the two leaders also reviewed all aspects of bilateral energy cooperation and, welcomed the expert-level discussions on the 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I hydroelectric project, adding that they look forward to the commissioning of the 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydroelectric project later this year.
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