Bhutan to decrease army strength

Thimphu, June 24: Chief of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) Wogma Batoo Tshering has informed the ongoing National Assembly that he government has initiated process to slash the strength of the army by next year.

The current strength of the RBA is 9,021 soldiers and government plans to bring down the number to 8,000, said Tshering. The RBA strength was 10,326 in 2005 when the government announced its intention to decrease its size.

However, the government, he said, would increase the militia force to combat with the natural calamities to which Bhutan is prone.

The government advocates that owing to safe hug from the India, Bhutan does not have external threats and that it does not need army.

The national police strength is around 40,000.

The assembly has directed the RBA to decide the age limit, qualification for the militias and arrange training centers and budget consulting the finance ministry. Bhutan news Service/Sangey Oendrey