SAARC Diary: India – Bhutan Buyer-Seller Meet
NEW DELHI, Jan 9: The Indian Embassy in Bhutan arranged a virtual buyer-seller meeting between the Indian Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Bhutan on Friday.
Speaking on the occasion of “Special Partnership for Challenging Times” Indian Ambassador to Bhutan Ruchira Kamboj said, “India is committed to expanding our business partnership with Bhutan in the main agriculture and food products market, ensuring complete support at the time of Covid-19.”
She said last month India held a virtual meeting on ‘Organic Farming,’ which brought together different stakeholders from the public and private sectors of Bhutan with officials from the Indian state of Sikkim. “Bhutan is India’s number one friend. It is no exaggeration, therefore, when we conclude that our relationship is exceptional. This is expressed in the frequent diplomatic interactions and the extraordinary confidence, understanding and friendship between our two countries,” she said.
APEDA has been mandated to encourage the export of agricultural and processed food goods including fresh fruits and vegetables, animal products, rice, and organic products. The meeting offered an opportunity for Bhutanese stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the operations of APEDA and enabled the Indian side to understand the Bhutan industry. During the e-meet, an e-catalogue of importers/exporters from India and Bhutan was published, which will allow both sides to communicate more effectively.
On the Indian side, the participants included members of the Indian Embassy and representatives from APEDA including Joint Secretary Diwakar Nath Misra, Chairman M. Angamuthu, Director Tarun Bajaj, Secretary Sudhanshu, and representatives of various export organisations.
Senior officials from Royal Bhutan, including Dasho Ugyen Penjore, Director General, Ministry of Agriculture & Forests, as well as members from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economic Affairs, National Organic Flagship Program, National Centre for Organic Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Marketing & Co-operatives, Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority, Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Food Corporation of Bhutan Ltd., Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation Ltd., Bhutan Agro Industries Ltd and Bhutan Exporters Association participated in the gathering.
NEPAL
Namgya Khampa, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Nepal, handed over a cheque for Nepali Rupee (NRs) 306.6 million to Shushil Gyawali, CEO of the National Reconstruction Authority undertaking various Government of India aided reconstruction projects for the earthquake-hit people of the Himalayan nation.
Khampa re-affirmed India’s commitment to work with Government of Nepal on its restoration activities, complementing the efforts of the Government and the citizens of Nepal in post-earthquake recovery process.
The sum is set aside for the rebuilding of educational facilities in the earthquake-affected districts of Nepal. India till date has paid the Government of Nepal a sum of NRs 819.8 million for rehabilitation projects in the education sector.
Various projects including the renovation of Tribhuvan’s University’s central library, accommodation, health and cultural heritage sector were also discussed, although initiatives in the housing sector are almost finished and handed over to recipients, projects in the schooling, health and cultural heritage sectors are at different stages of active execution.
(Venkatesh Iyer)
