Modi gifts a football to Bhutan Prince

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a football to Bhutanese Prince Jigme Namgyal Wangchuk when the Himalayan kingdom’s royal family called on him at his official residence here on Wednesday evening, reports The Statesman.

“Had a wonderful meeting with the King, Queen and Prince of Bhutan,” Modi tweeted, along with a picture of the Prince who will turn two in February next year.

“Presented the Prince of Bhutan an official football from the FIFA U-17 World Cup and a chess set,” he said. In the first-ever event of the world football federation held here, India hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup this year.

Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, along with Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuk and the Prince, arrived here on Tuesday on a four-day goodwill visit to India.

The Bhutanese royal family’s visit assumes significance in the wake of an over two-month standoff standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam region of Bhutan.

While India and Bhutan said that Beijing’s move violated the status quo in the India-Bhutan-China international trijunction, China claimed that it was their territory.

President Ram Nath Kovind appreciated the Bhutanese King’s role in resolving the Doklam issue during a meeting earlier on Wednesday.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also called on the royal family here.

There are a number of institutional mechanisms between India and Bhutan in areas such as security, border management, trade, transit, economic, hydro-power, development cooperation and water resources, while India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner.