India and Bhutan have agreed to enhance their collaboration on trans-boundary rivers and hydropower projects during a high-level official meeting in Thimphu. V. L. Kantha Rao, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation, led an Indian delegation to Bhutan from February 24-27, including officials from the ministry, Assam and West Bengal governments, and WAPCOS Ltd. Discussions revolved around cooperation on trans-boundary rivers and the progress of the Punatsangchhu-I Hydro Electric Project in Bhutan, which is a joint effort with India.
The meeting involved a review of the current mechanisms of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in flood management and forecasting. Both sides emphasized the need to strengthen and modernize Bhutan’s hydro-meteorological observation network on trans-border rivers, enhance data-sharing mechanisms for hydro-meteorological and flood forecasting data, boost collaboration in capacity building and technical exchanges, and address challenges from climate change, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and extreme weather events.
Following the official meeting, Secretary Rao met with Lyonpo Gem Tshering, Bhutan’s Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, and visited the Punatsangchhu-I Hydro Electric Project and the Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan. The visit aimed to improve water resources management, flood forecasting, and climate resilience in shared river basins, underscoring the commitment of both nations to sustainable and mutually beneficial management of trans-boundary water resources. India reiterated its support for strengthening cooperation in water resources management.
