New Delhi, Sept 23 (UNI) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said that India considers Bhutan to be part of its own family and added that the partnership between both the countries is anchored on utmost trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels.
Mr Naidu said this while addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Bhutan Week, along with her Majesty the Queen Mother of Bhutan, Sangay Choden, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan, here on Sunday.
He was given the traditional Bhutanese welcome on his arrival at IGNCA.
It is a celebration of the shared values that we cherish and we feel Bhutan is part of our family, he said.
Calling India & Bhutan equal partners in their endeavor to achieve peace, prosperity and development of our two peoples, the Vice President lauded the contribution of people on the both sides for strengthening India-Bhutan friendship.
The Vice President said that India-Bhutan partnership is multi-faceted and encompasses several areas of cooperation in sectors such as trade and economic ties, infrastructure development, security cooperation and most importantly people to people contacts.
The Vice-President said that Bhutan’s rich cultural traditions and its unique way of life have charmed and fascinated the people of India over the centuries and added that events such as Bhutan Week would further strengthen the bond between the two culturally rich nations. This event will also enable people of India, including youth, to experience first -hand the rich cultural heritage of Bhutan, its arts and crafts, cuisine, textile and other organic and home-grown agricultural produce, and its enchanting music and dance traditions, he added.
Lauding Bhutan's development model, the Vice President said that Bhutan has managed to combine sustainable development with enhanced quality of living and happiness quotient of its and called it a feat worthy of emulation.
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