Bhutan and India to sign reivsed friendship treaty

New Delhi, February 07: On the first day of his first official six-day visit to India after taking charge of the royal throne, King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk held meetings with India National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Home Minister Shivraj Patil Wednesday.

The issue of the discussion was security situation between the two countries. Minister for Foreign Affairs Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, who is also the prime minister, and senior officials were present in the meeting.

Before the meeting, secretary of Research and Analysis Wing Ashok Chaturvedi held a briefing with Home Minister Shivraj Patil at North Block.

Attempts of the Left-wing extremists to create a base of their operation in Bhutan and reports said the both the countries discussed measures to control the infiltration of these groups into Bhutan.

Thursday, Bhutan and India and Bhutan will sign a revised treaty of friendship, which will give Thimphu more freedom in crucial areas such as foreign policy and military purchases and that Bhutan will not undertake or allow any activity on its soil that could be against the interests of India.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk will also be meeting President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, Congress Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other senior government officials and political leaders for talks.  Bhutan News Serivce