Lieutenant General Batoo Tshering, Chief Operations Officer, Royal Bhutan Army, concluded his official visit to India, marking a key step in further strengthening the defence relations between Bhutan and India. The visit, which took place from February 1st to 6th, 2025, enhanced bilateral military cooperation and laid the groundwork for new avenues of collaboration, particularly in training and capability enhancement.
Lieutenant General Tshering visited Gaya, New Delhi and Kolkata during his stay in India. While in Gaya, he visited the Officers Training Academy and several Buddhist landmarks. These visits reflected the deep-rooted military and cultural ties between Bhutan and India. Discussions at the Officers Training Academy centered around enhancing Bhutanese military training modules and expanding the scope of officer exchange programmes between the two armies.
While in New Delhi, the General laid wreath at the National War Memorial, and received a Guard of Honour at the South Block. The General also called on the Honourable Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of the Army Staff and other senior leadership, including the National Security Advisor, Defence Secretary, and Foreign Secretary. These high-level engagements resulted in reaffirming India’s commitment to supporting the Royal Bhutan Army in modernisation efforts, including increased defence technology cooperation, military training, and logistical support. During his visit to the National Security Guard, Manesar, both sides explored avenues for enhanced collaboration including joint training in special operations and knowledge sharing on rapid response strategies.
Before departing for Bhutan, Lieutenant General Tshering also visited Kolkata, where he laid a wreath at Vijay Smarak and visited the Eastern Command Headquarters of the Indian Army. He called on the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, and interacted with senior officers to discuss enhanced cooperation in training and disaster relief operations – a key area of shared interest between the two countries.
Lieutenant General Tshering’s visit cemented several key defence initiatives, including greater participation of Bhutanese officers in Indian defence institutions, and the possibility of focusing on peacekeeping operations. The visit served as an important milestone in solidifying the long-standing defence ties between Bhutan and India, paving the way for a more robust and future-ready partnership in military engagement.
