SILIGURI, Oct 31: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has cancelled her scheduled four-day visit to Bhutan after her flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Bagdogra Airport in North Bengal on Thursday due to adverse weather conditions over the Eastern Himalayas, official sources said.
The Finance Minister, who was en route to Thimphu, the Bhutanese capital, was unable to land at Paro Airport because of poor visibility caused by severe weather. Following the diversion, Sitharaman spent the night at a hotel in Siliguri.
She returned to Bagdogra Airport today, where local BJP leaders and workers greeted her before she flew back to New Delhi, cancelling the planned visit.
According to sources, Sitharaman’s aircraft encountered turbulent weather yesterday afternoon, forcing pilots to abort the landing attempt at Paro and divert to Bagdogra.
The Finance Minister was scheduled to undertake a four-day official visit to Bhutan to discuss the deepening of economic and financial cooperation between the two nations. Her itinerary included visits to India-assisted development projects, including hydropower plants, which form a key part of Bhutan’s energy exports to India.
During the visit, Sitharaman was also expected to call on King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, and hold bilateral talks with her Bhutanese counterpart Lekey Dorji to explore avenues for strengthening India-Bhutan financial and economic ties.
Bhutan, one of India’s closest neighbours and a central partner in the ‘Act East’ policy, plays a crucial role in regional cooperation and sustainable hydropower development. The country is not a participant in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, underlining its strategic partnership with India.
(UNI)
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