India and Bhutan have agreed to expedite the development of cross-border infrastructure, including the establishment of an integrated check-post at Jaigaon-Phuentsholing and new rail links between Kokrajhar-Gelephu and Banarhat-Samatse. These decisions were made during the India-Bhutan Commerce Secretary Level Meeting (CSLM), held in Thimphu and co-chaired by India’s Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal and Bhutanese counterpart Dasho Tashi Wangmo.
The two-day meeting, concluding on September 28, focused on enhancing trade and connectivity between the nations. The commerce ministry’s statement highlighted discussions on additional trade routes, such as new points of entry for importing areca nuts and food items from Bhutan into India through land customs stations (LCS) at Hatisar and Darranga.
Trade Routes and Infrastructure Upgrades
India also committed to notifying the LCS at Samrang following the completion of infrastructure upgrades and agreed to consider notifying LCS Jaigaon for importing scrap from Bhutan. Discussions also covered the establishment of border haats, easing business travel, and facilitating the import of boulders and additional timber species from Bhutan.
Additionally, the meeting addressed operational issues such as deploying personnel for phyto-quarantine inspection services at LCS Darranga and expediting the agreement for mutual recognition of food safety controls between Bhutan’s Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) and India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI). The FSSAI-BFDA agreement was signed in March 2024 and aims to strengthen bilateral food trade.
