India will be hoping to forge close ties with the head of the new Bhutanese government, Tshering Tobgay, who arrives here on Friday on his first visit to this country after coming to power in July.
New Delhi sees the new Bhutanese PM as being more India-friendly than his predecessor Jigmi Thinley Dorje, who was perceived as being close to China. Mr Tobgay will be here on a six-day visit during which he will also travel to Mumbai.
India is the first foreign country that Mr Tobgay is visiting after becoming the PM. During his bilateral visit, the Bhutanese PM will be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, external affairs minister Salman Khurshid and a host of senior leaders, including finance minister P. Chidambaram, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
It’s an indication of the importance of the visit that Mr Singh will also be hosting a lunch for his Bhutanese counterpart. While the issue of gas and kerosene subsidies to Bhutan was resolved last month after being stopped for some days, the matter is expected to figure in the talks between the two sides.