Lhasa strives to build a cross-Himalaya tourist destination; India’s army chief visits Bhutan, assures India’s continued support to Bhutan’s security interests;
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    • In a bid to make Tibet a world class tourist attraction Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region strives to build a cross-Himalaya tourist destination by joining hands with neighboring countries including Nepal, India, Bhutan, etc., This was stated by the Director of Lhasa Municipal Tourism Bureau Jiang Hua. He noted that apart from the improvement of the international air route Lhasa-Katmandu, more flights between Lhasa and India and between Lhasa and Bhutan would be added.1

    The Indian army chief of staff, General Vijay Kumar Singh was on a four day visit to Bhutan from June 7-11, 2010. While highlighting the level of excellent bilateral relationship that the two countries share, Singh assured Bhutanese premier of India’s continued support to Bhutan’s security interests.2 Meanwhile India has decided to raise sixteen more battalions of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along the Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Nepal border. According to official sources, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared the proposal and the battalions would be raised at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore.3

    On energy front, Druk Green Power Corporation announced that given the growing domestic energy demands, Bhutan could import electricity from India. Kuensel reported that Bhutan could spend at least Nu 1.3 billion in the next six years importing electricity from India.4

    Reports noted that the United States expressed interest in taking more Bhutanese refugees living in eastern Nepal for resettlement in the United States. Meanwhile in a recent meeting with U.S. Deputy Under-Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration Kelly Clements, Nepali Deputy Prime Minister, Sujata Koirala insisted on the repatriation of refugees to Bhutan as permanent solution to this problem.5

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