India, Bhutan formalise seven entry-exit points for trade

Indian and Bhutan on Wednesday formalised seven additional entry-exit points for trade, following a Commerce Secretary-level meeting on trade and transit issues in New Delhi.

Indian and Bhutan on Wednesday formalised seven additional entry-exit points for trade, following a Commerce Secretary-level meeting on trade and transit issues in New Delhi. The Indian delegation was led by Department of Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, and the Bhutanese delegation was led by Dasho Karma Tshering, Secretary, Bhutan Ministry of Economic Affairs, a statement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry informed.

The two sides held extensive discussions on the current trade and transit issues including measures to further strengthen bilateral trade relations and issues of mutual interest, on ways to increase trade connectivity between the two countries, the statement said. Through Letters of Exchange (LOE), the following seven additional entry/exit points for trade between India and Bhutan were formalized.

"Nagarkata Land Customs Station without commodity restriction; Agartala Land Customs Station as an entry/exit point; Pandu port (Guwahati Steamerghat) as an entry /exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri; Jogighopa port as an entry/exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri; Asian Highway 48 connecting Torsha Tea Garden in India and Ahllay in Bhutan as an additional route corresponding to the Land Customs Station at Jaigaon; Kamardwisa as an entry/exit point; Birpara as an entry/exit point," the statement added. This will form an addendum to the Protocol of the 2016 India-Bhutan Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit. This will facilitate India-Bhutan bilateral trade to our mutual advantage.

Since 2014, trade between India and Bhutan has more than doubled from USD 484 million in 2014-15 to USD 1083 million in 2020-21. (ANI)