Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Togai on Thursday, focusing on ways to further strengthen ties between the two countries.

The talks came hours after Togai began a five-day visit to India, his first overseas since taking the top job in January.

Mr Togai was received at the capital’s airport by Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey.

“@PMBhutan’s visit is in line with the exemplary friendship relations between India and Bhutan,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on ‘X’.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bhutan on expanding cooperation in the field of energy efficiency.

The cabinet also approved the signing of a cooperation agreement in the field of food safety between the Bhutan Food and Drug Administration (BFDA) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Wednesday that Mr Togai’s visit would provide an opportunity for both parties to review the progress of the “unique partnership” and discuss how to expand the “enduring” friendship and relationship. Cooperation between India and Bhutan.

Mr Togai’s visit to India comes against the backdrop of China and Bhutan seeking a quick resolution to their worsening border dispute, which could affect India’s security interests.

About five months ago, then-Bhutanese Foreign Minister Thandi Dorji held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.

China reported on the talks that Bhutan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to work with China to resolve boundary issues at an early date and advance the political process of establishing diplomatic relations.

New Delhi has been keeping a close eye on the negotiations on the border dispute between Bhutan and China as it may have implications for New Delhi’s security interests, especially at the tri-junction in Doklam.

In August last year, China and Bhutan agreed to accelerate and simultaneously implement the “three-step road map” to resolve the worsening border dispute.

In October 2021, Bhutan and China signed a “three-step road map” agreement to speed up negotiations to resolve border disputes.

The deal comes four years after Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a 73-day standoff at the Doklam tri-junction as China tried to extend a road in an area claimed by Bhutan.

The 2017 standoff between China and India on the Doklam Plateau even raised concerns about a larger conflict between the two neighboring countries. Bhutan has said the area belongs to it, and India supports Bhutan’s claim.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)