Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay to visit India from September 3-6

Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, accompanied by his spouse Aum Tashi Doma, and Je Khenpo Trulku Jigme Choedra, the Chief Abbot of Bhutan, will be on an official visit to India from September 3 to 6, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday.

The visit will begin with the Consecration Ceremony of the Royal Bhutan Temple at Rajgir, Bihar, on September 4. The temple, built on land provided by the Bihar government, symbolizes the shared spiritual and cultural heritage of Buddhism between India and Bhutan.

On September 5, PM Tobgay will travel to Ayodhya, where he will be accorded a red carpet welcome before offering prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. District Magistrate Nikhil Tikaram Funde said the Bhutanese PM will arrive around 9:30 am, attend a special banquet, and depart in the afternoon.

During their stay in the national capital, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will call on the visiting dignitary. The visit will conclude on September 6.

This will be Tobgay’s second official trip to India this year. In February, he attended the inaugural Leadership Conclave of the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On that occasion, he had also met PM Modi and several senior members of the Indian government, including Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita.

At the conclave, Tobgay described PM Modi as his “mentor and elder brother,” expressing admiration for his leadership and saying their meetings inspired him to work harder as a public servant.

The MEA noted that these back-to-back visits underscore the continuing close cooperation and strengthened ties between India and Bhutan, built on trust, goodwill, and regular high-level exchanges – a hallmark of the special partnership.