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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day State visit to Bhutan, held a meeting with former Bhutan King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Wangchuck was Bhutan's fourth Druk Gyalpo (King) and is the father of the current Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra was present in the meeting. Earlier in the day, PM Modi, who is on a two-day state visit to Bhutan, arrived at Tashichhodzong Palace in Thimphu. He held a meeting with Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. PM Modi was welcomed with a traditional Chipdrel procession and presented with the Guard of Honour by the Royal Bodyguards, Royal Bhutan Army and Royal Bhutan Police. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "A welcome as warm & vibrant as - relations! PM @narendramodi arrived at Tashichhodzong Palace, Thimphu for an audience with H.M. the King of Bhutan. PM was welcomed with traditional Chipdrel procession and presented with the Guard of Honour by the Royal Bodyguards, Royal Bhutan Army, and Royal Bhutan Police." During the meeting, the two sides renewed their commitment to the special and unique ties shared by India and Bhutan. PM Modi and Bhutan King reviewed bilateral ties and discussed ways to take them to new levels. "Giving further impetus to India-Bhutan ties! PM @narendramodi held talks with H.M. the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Renewing commitment to the special & unique India-Bhutan friendship, the leaders reviewed the bilateral ties and discussed ways to take them to new levels," Jaiswal posted on X. King of Bhutan conferred on PM Modi the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, the highest honour of the Himalayan country. As per ranking and precedence established, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honour system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations and medals. PM Modi thanked Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck for conferring on him the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, the highest honour of the Himalayan country. He is the first foreign Head of Government to receive honour. In his address at Tendrelthang Festival Ground in Thimphu, he said, "Today is a big day in my life as an Indian. You have honoured me with Bhutan's highest national award. Every award is special in itself, but when an award is received from another country, it strengthens the confidence that both our countries are moving in the right direction." "This honour is not my personal achievement. It is the honour of India and 140 crore Indians. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of all Indians in this great land of Bhutan and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for this honour," he added. In an unprecedented welcome for PM Modi in Bhutan, people lined up the streets across the entire stretch of 45 kilometers from Paro to Thimphu. Hundreds of locals awaited Prime Minister Modi's arrival at the palace. PM Modi also received a special welcome at his Hotel in Thimphu as youngsters from Bhutan gave a cultural performance of Garba on the song written by PM Modi. Making the Gujarati folk dance more graceful, youngsters wore Gujarat's traditional attire, Ghagra-choli and Kurta Pyjama. The performance was staged after PM Modi interacted with the members of the Indian diaspora and the local people of Bhutan who gathered to welcome him outside the Hotel in Thimphu. The members of the Indian community expressed their happiness on meeting PM Modi. (ANI)
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