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Bhutan's Crown Prince Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk has chosen India for his first official visit outside his sequestered mountain kingdom.
The prince will arrive in New Delhi on Monday for the eleven-day visit, described by the Bhutanese embassy as "an important milestone in India-Bhutan relations".
"The Royal visit, which is an important milestone in Indo-Bhutanese relations, is also significant as this is the first official visit abroad by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince," the embassy said in a statement on Friday.
During the visit, the prince will call on President K R Narayanan and senior officials of the government.
He will also visit the states of Uttaranchal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal where he will have an opportunity to see various reputed institutions and places of cultural and technological interests in Delhi, Dehradun, Bombay, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Wellington.
The visit would "contribute to further strengthening the close ties of friendship, understanding and cooperation that happily exists between Bhutan and India", the statement said.
India extends considerable developmental assistance to the landlocked kingdom and has undertaken various projects, including roads, bridges and hydroelectric projects. The hydroelectric projects have become a major source of revenue for Bhutan as the electricity generated by them has a ready buyer in India. India also guides the country's foreign policy.
Indo-Asian News Service
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