SME Times News Bureau | 04 Nov, 2021
A Commerce Secretary Level meeting was held between India and Bhutan on trade and transit issues, in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The
Indian delegation was led by B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary,
Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of
India and the Bhutanese delegation was led by Dasho Karma
Tshering, Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Royal Government of
Bhutan.
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. '
Through Letters of Exchange
(LOE), the following seven additional entry/exit points for trade
between India and Bhutan were formalized:-
1. Nagarkata Land Customs Station without commodity restriction.
2. Agartala Land Customs Station as an entry /exit point.
3. Pandu port (Guwahati Steamerghat) as an entry /exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri.
4. Jogighopa port as an entry/exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri.
5.
Asian Highway 48 connecting Torsha Tea Garden in India and Ahllay in
Bhutan as an additional route corresponding to the Land Custom Station
at Jaigaon.
6. Kamardwisa as an entry/exit point.
7. Birpara as an entry/exit point.
This
will form an addendum to the Protocol of 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.