India and Bhutan’s friendship which provides for strengthening of bilateral trade relation between both nationon matter of trade and commerce. India is the leading trading partner of Bhutan free trade exists betweenIndia-Bhutan. Four states of India shares boundaries with Bhutan( Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, WestBengal) but land routes are situated in the state of Assam and West Bengal only. To Boost cross border tradebetween India & Bhutan, Potential land trade routes, should be explored in the state Arunachal Pradesh andSikkim. Arunachal Pradesh a much needed connectivity between Tashingang- Lumia – Tawang is yet to beoperationalized owning to an incomplete 15 km stretch in Bhutan, permission for which is still pending.
Cross border to Bhutan in West Bengal and Assam: Jaigaon Indian side in the state of West Bengal andPhuntsoling is Bhutan side. Phuntsoling is the gateway to Bhutan in the South West of Bhutan, is the only landborder which grants access to the country 90% of trade in Bhutan is with Indian and conducted through thistown. Phuntsoling being the border town has an Indian character and taste even through it tries to maintainBhutanese way of living near about 400 truck are being export every day at Jaigaon and Pakasa. Currently near75% of total trade between India and Bhutan takes place through Jaigaon LCS in Alipurduar. In Assam one is1) Darranga: (Baksa District of BTAD) is Rangia- Tamulpur motorable road from Darranga to Samdrup-Thankar(in Bhutan) in the District of Baksa of Assam and trading is going on one border trade under constructed.Second one is 2) Hatisar :(Chirang District of BTAD) is motorable road from Samthiabari to gaylephug(Bhutan)Via Runikhata and Deosiri in the District of Chirang of Assam and trading is going on proposed to setup oneborder trade centre at Hatisar LCS.
Assam shares border with Bhutan and Bangladesh connecting 3 Countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, India of theBBIN sub-regional grouping with land and riven routes. Bhutanese traders have already started exportingstone aggregates to Bangladesh via the dhubri port of Brahmaputra through national water ways no 2 and theIndia Bangladesh protocol route. Bhutanese traders have preferred this new route to land route through WestBengal as transportation through waterways cut down cost by a significant margin. It is high for time Assam toreimagine its engagement with Bhutan under a new cross border trade Regime .
Indian Land Custom Stations Bordering Bhutan:
The major items of export from Bhutan to India are electricity, alcohol beverages, chemical, cement, timber,and wood products base metal and radicals, minerals, vegetables fat and cardamom, fruit product, potatoes,oranges and apples, raw silk, plastic and rubber products etc. Major items export from India to Bhutan arepetroleum product, minerals product, vegetables , spices, processed food and animal product base metals andarticles, machinery, chemicals, auto-mobile & spares, wood plastic and rubber under the agreement on tradeand commerce, there is a provision for duty free transit of Bhutanese merchandise for trade with thirdcountries. India’s trade with Bhutan has increased substantially