The challenge before us is to translate institutions into activities, conventions into programmes, official statements into popular sentiments. Declarations at summits and official level meetings do not amount to regional cooperation or integration. Regional cooperation should enable freer movement of people, of goods, of services and of ideas. It should help us re-discover our shared heritage and build our common future.
Leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries vowed to collectively combat the scourge of terrorism, extremism and insurgency plaguing the region with Pakistan and Bangladesh rejecting claims of those who justified violence in the name of Islam.
The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, led by former premier Jigmi Thinley, said to be popular among the elite and well educated, on Monday scored a landslide victory in the first elections in Bhutan that marks the end of absolute monarchy in this Himalayan Kingdom. DPT, several of whose candidates have been ministers under King Jigme Khesar Namgyel and have experience in the government, made a virtual clean sweep bagging 44 out of the total 47 seats in the National Assembly.
On his maiden foreign tour, Bhutan's first Prime Minister Lyonchen Jigmi Y Thinley arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a visit, during which the two sides will look at ways to boost their friendly relations further.Thinley will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday on a wide range of issues, with particular focus on enhancing ties in economic and business fields.He will also meet President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari.
In a sign of deepening bilateral ties, Bhutan Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley will arrive in New Delhi on a three-day visit during which he will hold talks with the top leadership on hydro-electric projects among other issues.
Bhutan's Prime Minister-in waiting Jigmi Y Thinley has said India will be the first country he will like to visit after the country's inaugural democratic government assumes office. "The prime minister of Bhutan will look forward to being invited to India as the first country that he will visit as the leader of the first democratically elected government of the country," he told reporters at his house in Chungkhar, Pemagatshel.
Suddenly the sands are shifting and even friends are acting strange.
Playing down its unsuccessful bid to establish diplomatic ties with Bhutan, China on Monday said it is glad to see New Delhi and Thimphu develop their relations further during the just-concluded visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances