Bhutan’s regional push

The country needs greater regional connectivity to employ its people and stop the exodus of its youth.

Bhutan has recently seen high-profile visits from its neighbours. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a two-day visit to the country on March 22-23. Newly elected Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay paid his first official visit to India on March 14-18. The Bhutanese king is currently touring Bangladesh. Within the Bhutan-Bangladesh-India-Nepal (BBIN) framework, these visits would further subregional cooperation, though Bhutan has yet to ratify the BBIN-Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA). Attempts are being made to get Bhutan into the framework, as subregionalism has recently been boosted while the subcontinental grouping, SAARC, remains defunct.