New Delhi: India and Bhutan have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in the energy sector. Bhutan’s Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, Lyonpo Jem Tshering, met with India’s Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, and Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shri Sripad Naik, in New Delhi today.
The discussions focused on long-term energy collaboration and maximizing electricity production from hydropower projects. Special attention was given to the Punatsangchhu-I (1,200 MW) and Punatsangchhu-II (1,020 MW) hydropower projects, emphasizing expedited commissioning and achieving commercial-level electricity output.
The talks also covered the future roadmap for the Sankosh hydropower project and the planning of power transmission infrastructure up to 2040. Both countries agreed on the need to streamline approval processes for electricity supply during periods of low generation, particularly in Bhutan.
The ministers praised the longstanding friendship between India and Bhutan and expressed confidence that energy cooperation would continue to strengthen. The India-Bhutan hydropower collaboration began in 1961, with a formal agreement on hydropower cooperation signed in 2006.