Foreign Secretary Jaishankar in Bhutan on SAARC yatra

Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar met the Bhutanese leadership, including King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, on Sunday on the first stop of his SAARC yatra here as both sides discussed bilateral ties as well as connectivity projects of a sub-regional grouping.

Jaishankar also met Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and the officiating foreign secretary of Bhutan during the talks.

Earlier, Jaishankar was received at the airport by Indian envoy Gautam Bambawle and Bhutanese officials.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said Jaishankar discussed cooperation between South Asian countries as also ways to strengthen bilateral ties with the Bhutan leadership.

Syed Akbaruddinsaid talks on the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) subgrouping also figured in the discussions. Senior officials of the BBIN grouping have met earlier in New Delhi to take forward connectivity projects on power trade and inter-grid connectivity between the four countries.