New Delhi: India and Bhutan have formalised seven additional entry/exit points for trade during a Commerce Secretary Level meeting on trade and transit issues, here today.
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, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.
The seven additional entry/exit points for trade between India and Bhutan that were formalised through Letters of Exchange (LOE) include Nagarkata Land Customs Station without commodity restriction; Agartala Land Customs Station as an entry /exit point; Pandu port (Guwahati Steamerghat) as an entry /exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri, the Ministry said.
Jogighopa port as an entry/exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri; 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; Kamardwisa as an entry/exit point and Birpara as an entry/exit point, it added.
“This will form an addendum to the Protocol of 2016 India-Bhutan Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit and will facilitate India-Bhutan bilateral trade to our mutual advantage,” the Ministry said.
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.
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 H.E. Dasho Karma Tshering, Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan, the statement read.
